[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 5, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5320-5321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-2734]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[License Number 42-26928-01]


Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact, and 
Notice of Opportunity for a Hearing

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering authorizing

[[Page 5321]]

Core Laboratories, Inc., an exemption to use radioactive markers 
containing quantities exceeding the limits listed in 10 CFR 30.71 as 
pipe collar markers in oil and gas wells.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    Core Laboratories, Inc. is licensed by the NRC to conduct well 
logging operations. They have requested, in letters dated July 14, 1997 
and February 4, 1998, that the United States Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission (NRC) grant them an exemption from 10 CFR 39.47 to use 
radioactive markers containing quantities exceeding the limits listed 
in 10 CFR 30.71 as pipe collar markers in oil and gas wells. 10 CFR 
39.47 specifies that licensees may only use radioactive markers if the 
individual markers contain quantities not exceeding the quantities 
listed in 10 CFR 30.71. Core Laboratories requested authorization to 
use iridium-192, scandium-46, antimony-124, cesium-137, and cobalt-60 
markers with activities up to 50 microcuries, as pipe collar markers. 
10 CFR 30.71 limits iridium-192, scandium-46, antimony-124, and cesium-
137 to 10 microcuries and cobalt-60 to 1 microcurie.
    The markers Core Laboratories requested authorization to use are 
either installed directly into the collars or are placed onto the 
collar threads and secured between the pipe casing joints and, 
therefore, are not easily removable. Once installed in a well, the 
casing and collars are cemented into place. The Supplementary 
Information section of the proposed rulemaking concerning radioactive 
markers notes that the reason limiting the activity to those specified 
in 10 CFR 30.71 was necessary, is ``because it is impracticable for the 
licensee that installs the radioactive marker to recover the marker 
when the well owner or operator removes the casings from the well at a 
later date.'' In its correspondence to NRC, Core Laboratories describes 
agreements it will have with the well owner/operator, and procedures it 
will follow to ensure the markers are recovered should the casing and 
collars be removed prior to a specified date.

Need for the Proposed Action

    The exemption is needed so that Core Laboratories, Inc. can carry 
out its business of logging wells in the oil and gas industry. The 
higher activity markers allow for more accurate pipe collar location 
measurements when logging certain oil and gas wells.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    There will be no significant environmental impact from the proposed 
action due to the fact that no material is being released into the 
environment and all of the material is wholly contained within the pipe 
collars and will be recovered should the casing and collars be removed 
from the wells.
    During operations, the radiation dose will not be significantly 
greater than occurs normally because of the low activities involved. 
Compensatory safety measures will be in place at all times when placing 
or removing the markers into the pipe casing collars and will ensure 
the markers will be recovered should the casing and collars be removed 
from the wells.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    As required by section 102(2)(E) of NEPA (42 USC 4322(2)(E)), 
possible alternatives to the final action have been considered. The 
only alternative is to deny the exemption. This option would not 
produce a gain in protecting the human environment, and would force 
Core Laboratories, Inc. to only use the lower activity markers 
specified in the regulation. This may result in Core Laboratories, Inc. 
having to depend on less accurate pipe collar location measurements 
when logging oil and gas wells.

Alternative Use of Resources

    No alternative use of resources was considered due to the reasons 
stated above.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    No other agencies or persons were contacted regarding this proposed 
action.

Identification of Sources Used

    Letters from Core Laboratories, Inc. to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Region IV, dated July 14, 1997 and February 4, 1998.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based on the above environmental assessment, the Commission has 
concluded that environmental impacts that would be created by the 
proposed action would not have a significant effect on the quality of 
the human environment and does not warrant the preparation of an 
Environmental Impact Statement. Accordingly, it has been determined 
that a Finding of No Significant Impact is appropriate.
    The licensee's letters dated July 14, 1997 and February 4, 1998, 
are available for inspection and copying for a fee in the Region IV 
Public Document Room, 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400, Arlington, TX 
76011-8064. The documents may also be viewed in the Agency-wide 
Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) located on the NRC web 
site at www.nrc.gov.

Opportunity for a Hearing

    Any person whose interest may be affected by the issuance of this 
action may file a request for a hearing. Any request for hearing must 
be filed with the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555, within 30 days of the publication of 
this notice in the Federal Register; be served on the NRC staff 
(Executive Director for Operations, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852), and on the licensee (Core 
Laboratories, Inc., 9830 Rosprim, Houston, TX 77040); and must comply 
with the requirements for requesting a hearing set forth in the 
Commission's regulations, 10 CFR part 2, subpart L, ``Information 
Hearing Procedures for Adjudications in Materials Licensing 
Proceedings.''
    These requirements, which the request must address in detail, are:
    1. The interest of the requestor in the proceeding;
    2. How that interest may be affected by the results of the 
proceeding (including the reasons why the requestor should be permitted 
a hearing);
    3. The requestor's areas of concern about the licensing activity 
that is the subject matter of the proceeding; and
    4. The circumstances establishing that the request for hearing is 
timely--that is, filed within 30 days of the date of this notice.
    In addressing how the requestor's interest may be affected by the 
proceeding, the request should describe the nature of the requestor's 
right under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, to be made a 
party to the proceeding; the nature and extent of the requestor's 
property, financial, or other (i.e., health, safety) interest in the 
proceeding; and the possible effect of any order that may be entered in 
the proceeding upon the requestor's interest.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 29th day of January, 2002.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John W. N. Hickey,
Chief, Material Safety and Inspection Branch, Division of Industrial 
and Medical Nuclear Safety, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 02-2734 Filed 2-4-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P