Minnesota Administrative Rules

4731.7030 AGREEMENT WITH WELL OWNER OR OPERATOR.

Subpart 1.

Agreement required.

A.

A licensee may perform well logging with a sealed source only after the licensee has a written agreement with the employing well owner or operator. The written agreement must be kept for three years after completion of the well logging operation. The agreement must include the terms in items B to F and identify who will perform the requirements in items B to F.

B.

If a sealed source becomes lodged in the well, a reasonable effort must be made to recover it.

C.

A person may not attempt to recover a sealed source in a manner that, in the licensee's opinion, could result in its rupture.

D.

The radiation monitoring required under part 4731.7240 must be performed.

E.

If the environment, any equipment, or personnel are contaminated with licensed material, they must be decontaminated before release from the site or release for unrestricted use.

F.

If the sealed source is classified as irretrievable after reasonable efforts at recovery have been expended, the following requirements must be implemented within 30 days:

(1)

each irretrievable well logging source must be immobilized and sealed in place with a cement plug;

(2)

a means to prevent inadvertent intrusion on the source must be set at some point in the well, unless the source is not accessible to any subsequent drilling operations; and

(3)

a permanent identification plaque, constructed of a long-lasting material, such as stainless steel, brass, bronze, or Monel, must be mounted at the surface of the well, unless mounting the plaque is not practical. The size of the plaque must be at least seven inches (17 cm) square and one-eighth inch (3 mm) thick. The plaque must contain:

(a)

the word "CAUTION";

(b)

the radiation symbol, except the color requirement under part 4731.2300 need not be met;

(c)

the date the source was abandoned;

(d)

the name of the well owner or well operator, as appropriate;

(e)

the well name and well identification number or other designation;

(f)

identification of the sealed source by radionuclide and quantity;

(g)

the depth of the source and depth to the top of the plug; and

(h)

an appropriate warning, such as, "DO NOT REENTER THIS WELL."

Subp. 2.

Variance.

A licensee may apply, under part 4731.0200, for commissioner approval, on a case-by-case basis, of proposed procedures to abandon an irretrievable well logging source in a manner not otherwise authorized in subpart 1, item F.

Subp. 3.

Exemption.

The written agreement between the licensee and the well owner or operator is not required if the licensee and the well owner or operator are part of the same corporate structure or otherwise similarly affiliated, but the licensee must still comply with subpart 1, items B to F.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 144.1202; 144.1203

History:

29 SR 755

Published Electronically:

March 12, 2009