The following information was received via E-mail:
On August 2, 2017, at approximately 1400 CDT, [the] Radiation Safety Officer of ExxonMobil notified the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) of an equipment malfunction. A Model LB300 IS Berthold level/density gauge installed on G-Line High Pressure Separator Vessel, V5300 and possessing seven nominally 50 mCi Co-60 sealed sources, was undergoing a routine annual shutter test in which the sealed sources were being pulled upwards in their dip tubes via connecting cables to the top of the source holder. The source in dip tube No.1 became stuck in its dip tube and could not be pulled upward further. The source in dip tube No.1 could not be successfully returned to its normal operating position. The sources in dip tubes Nos. 3, 4, and 5 were successfully pulled up to the top of the source holder. According to [the RSO], the sources in dip tubes Nos. 2 and 6 had already become stuck in their dip tubes and not returned to the source holder during the previous shutter test conducted during June 2016, and that now there are three sources, source serial numbers, 1369-08-02, 1370-08-02 and 1374-08-02, respectively stuck within their dip tubes Nos. 1, 2, and 6. The licensee placed a service call to [a] Berthold contract service engineer on August 2, 2017, but was unable to contact him and left a voicemail message. [The Berthold contract service engineer] will conduct a maintenance inspection of the gauge as soon as possible. The above sources have gone through approximately 3.2 half-lives since installation and so the true activity of the above Co-60 sources is approximately 5.4 mCi. This is not an emergency situation. ExxonMobil Radiation Safety Office staff is monitoring the vessel condition and have the situation under control. There is not a potential for off-site exposure.
Louisiana Event Report ID No.: LA170011