Regulatory Guide 6.8

Identification Plaque for Irretrievable Well-Logging Sources,For Comment

ML003739251
Person / Time
Issue date:	10/31/1978
From:	Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
To:
References
RG-6.8
Download: ML003739251 (2)

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5 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION October 1978

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REGULATORY GUIDE

OFFICE OF STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT

REGULATORY GUIDE 6.8 IDENTIFICATION PLAQUE FOR IRRETRIEVABLE WELL-LOGGING SOURCES*

A. INTRODUCTION

1. Plaque Information. All of the following infor mation should be engraved on the face of the identifi The Commission has published proposed amend cation plaque. The engraving procedure should re ments to 10 CFR Part 30, "Rules of General move sufficient material to ensure that the depth of Applicability to Domestic Licensing of Byproduct engraving will be sufficient to produce characters that Material," and to 10 CFR Part 70, "Domestic Li have long-lasting visual discernibility.

censing of Special Nuclear Material,'" concerning the implementation of certain requirements in cases of a. The words, "CAUTION RA]DIOACTIVE

irretrievable well-logging sources. One of these re MATERIAL."

quirements would call for the mounting of a perma b. The radiation sy rriblp n required) as nent identification plaque at the surface of a well that described in 10 C5V § T03 'Caution signs, contains an irretrievable well-logging source. This labels, signals and S. V,

regulatory guide describes methods that would be ac c. The well-logging ceptable to the NRC staff for the characteristics and source(s)," alf tilda'rf occurrence.

the mounting of this permanent identification plaque assuming the proposed regulation is promulgated as d. r d' he well-owner and the city and an effective rule by the Commission after considera stateý,dh, thig'ti in office is located.

tion of public comments. eSJhe well name and the well number (if appli

• Cabf Th)le sealed source(s) (radionuclide and quan

B. DISCUSSION

tity of activity).

Sealed source logging techniques use garnmw sources and neutron sources in quantity levels up to g. The source depth and the plug-back depth.

several curies per source for substrata anag, , in'oil, h. An appropriate warning, depending on the gas, and mineral exploration. When the¢i W'an fh" specific circumstances of each incident, such as:

trievable well-logging source, a perman t iden-fica tion plaque must be mounted at the s the well. The mounting of this plaque is one ]*ect of (1) Do not drill below plug-back depth, continuing control of the byproduct material, and the (2) Do not enlarge casing, or identification plaque is uitehoed to be a permanent (3) Notify the appropriate State agency before indication of a sealed sd0irce d6*nwwell. reentry (if required by regulation in the State where the well is located).

C. REGULATORY 'POSITION

2. Plaque Material. The plaque should be con Acceptabletplaque information, plaque material, structed of long-lasting material such as stainless and methods of plaqui*e mounting for active and inac steel, brass, bronze, or monel. The size of the plaque tive wells that contain an irretrievable well-logging should be convenient for use on active or inactive source are as follows: wells: e.g., a seven-inch (177.8 mm) square would be usable in both cases. The thickness of the metal

• An "irretrievable well-logging source" means any sealed plaque should be at least l/8 inch (3.2 mm). Letter source containing licensed material that is pulled off or not con size of the words, "CAUTION RADIOACTIVE

nected to the wireline downwell and for which all reasonable MATERIAL," should be approximately double the effort at recovery, as determined by the Commission, has been 1 expended. letter size of the rest of the information; e.g., /4 inch USNRC REGULATORY GUIDES Comments should be sent to the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555, Attention: Docketing and Regulatory Guides are issued to describe and make available to the public Service Branch.

methods acceptable to the NRC staff of implementing specific parts of the Commission's regulations, to delineate techniques used by the staff in evalu- The guides are issued in the following ten broad divisions:

ating specific problems or postulated accidents, or to provide guidance to applicants. Regulatory Guides are not substitutes for regulations, and corn- 1. Power Reactors

6. Products

2. Research and Test Reactors 7. Transportation pliance with them is not required. Methods and solutions different from those

3. Fuels and Materials Facilities 8. Occupational Health set out in the guides will be acceptable if they provide a basis for the findings requisite to the issuance or continuance of a permit or license by the 4. Environmental and Siting 9. Antitrust and Financial Review Commission. 5. Materials and Plant Protection 10. General Comments and suggestions for improvements in these guides are encouraged Requests for single copies of issued guides (which may be reproducedl or for at all times, and guides will be revised, as appropriate, to accommodate corn- placement on an automatic distribution list for single copies of future guides ments and to reflect new information or experience. However, comments on in specific divisions should be made in writing to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory this guide, if received within about two months after its issuance, will be Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555, Attention: Director, Division of particularly useful in evaluating the need for an early revision. Technical Information and Document Control.

(6.4 mm) and /s inch (3.2 mm) letter sizes would be readily observable if the well were reentered at a fu acceptable. ture date.

3. Plaque Mountin

D. IMPLEMENTATION

a. For active wells, the plaque should be mounted in a readily observable location by welding The guidance contained herein may be used by or bolting it to the well-head structure. The plaque licensees or by applicants for a license as a reference information should be readable by personnel in the for information normally supplied in support of a immediate area. license application.

b. For inactive wells, the plaque should be Other equally effective methods for providing for mounted by welding or bolting it to the top of the and mounting of an identification plaque for irre casing cap so that the plaque information would be trievable well-logging sources may also be used.

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