Event Notification Report for November 05, 2020
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
11/04/2020 - 11/05/2020
EVENT NUMBERS
54984
54984
Agreement State
Event Number: 54984
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES
Licensee: Basic Energy Services LP
Region: 4
City: Eastland State: TX
County:
License #: L 06425
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Arthur Tucker
HQ OPS Officer: Andrew Waugh
Licensee: Basic Energy Services LP
Region: 4
City: Eastland State: TX
County:
License #: L 06425
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Arthur Tucker
HQ OPS Officer: Andrew Waugh
Notification Date: 11/05/2020
Notification Time: 12:13 [ET]
Event Date: 11/05/2020
Event Time: 00:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 12/06/2020
Notification Time: 12:13 [ET]
Event Date: 11/05/2020
Event Time: 00:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 12/06/2020
Emergency Class: Non Emergency
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
Person (Organization):
PROULX, DAVID (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION, (EMAIL)
ILTAB (EMAIL)
CNSNS (MEXICO) (EMAIL)
PROULX, DAVID (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION, (EMAIL)
ILTAB (EMAIL)
CNSNS (MEXICO) (EMAIL)
EN Revision Imported Date: 12/7/2020
EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN NUCLEAR GAUGES
The following is a summary of information received from the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Agency) via email:
"On November 5, 2020, the Agency was notified by the licensee that three of their nuclear density/level measurements gauges had been stolen from one of their storage sites. The storage site had been vandalized and various pieces of equipment were damaged as well. The licensee has contacted local law enforcement about this incident.
"The gauges contain Cs-137 sources. The total activity of the missing sources is estimated to not exceed 200 mCi. The licensee does not have any additional information regarding the incident or gauges at this time."
Texas Incident Number: 9808
* * * UPDATE ON 11/10/20 AT 0813 EST FROM ART TUCKER TO BRIAN LIN * * *
"On November 9, 2020, the licensee provided additional information on the stolen gauges. All gauges contained cesium-137 sources. Two of the gauges were Thermo Fisher model 5192 gauges. One of the two gauges contained a 250 milliCurie (mCi) (original activity now 215 mCi) source and the other contained a 200 mCi (now 162 mCi) source. The third gauge was a Thermo Fisher model 5190 gauge containing a 200 mCi (now 166 mCi) source. The gauges had been stored in a locked cage on the licensee's site. The gauges were still installed on the pipes they were used on. The licensee stated the last time the gauges were seen was September 1, 2020. The Agency instructed the licensee to notify local scrap yards of the theft and provided them with a copy of the attached picture. The Agency has requested additional information from the licensee. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300."
Notified R4DO (Dixon), ILTAB (email), NMSS Events Notification (email), and CNSNS-Mexico (email)
* * * UPDATE ON 12/6/20 AT 2301 EST FROM ART TUCKER TO THOMAS KENDZIA * * *
"On December 6, 2020 at 2033 [CST] hours the Agency was notified by the licensee that the three devices reported stolen in this event have been recovered. The gauges are in the possession of the licensee and are locked inside a secured location. Additional information will be provided through NMED as it is received.."
Notified R4DO (Gepford), ILTAB (email), NMSS Events Notification (email), and CNSNS-Mexico (email)
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A 'Less than Cat 3' LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf
EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN NUCLEAR GAUGES
The following is a summary of information received from the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Agency) via email:
"On November 5, 2020, the Agency was notified by the licensee that three of their nuclear density/level measurements gauges had been stolen from one of their storage sites. The storage site had been vandalized and various pieces of equipment were damaged as well. The licensee has contacted local law enforcement about this incident.
"The gauges contain Cs-137 sources. The total activity of the missing sources is estimated to not exceed 200 mCi. The licensee does not have any additional information regarding the incident or gauges at this time."
Texas Incident Number: 9808
* * * UPDATE ON 11/10/20 AT 0813 EST FROM ART TUCKER TO BRIAN LIN * * *
"On November 9, 2020, the licensee provided additional information on the stolen gauges. All gauges contained cesium-137 sources. Two of the gauges were Thermo Fisher model 5192 gauges. One of the two gauges contained a 250 milliCurie (mCi) (original activity now 215 mCi) source and the other contained a 200 mCi (now 162 mCi) source. The third gauge was a Thermo Fisher model 5190 gauge containing a 200 mCi (now 166 mCi) source. The gauges had been stored in a locked cage on the licensee's site. The gauges were still installed on the pipes they were used on. The licensee stated the last time the gauges were seen was September 1, 2020. The Agency instructed the licensee to notify local scrap yards of the theft and provided them with a copy of the attached picture. The Agency has requested additional information from the licensee. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300."
Notified R4DO (Dixon), ILTAB (email), NMSS Events Notification (email), and CNSNS-Mexico (email)
* * * UPDATE ON 12/6/20 AT 2301 EST FROM ART TUCKER TO THOMAS KENDZIA * * *
"On December 6, 2020 at 2033 [CST] hours the Agency was notified by the licensee that the three devices reported stolen in this event have been recovered. The gauges are in the possession of the licensee and are locked inside a secured location. Additional information will be provided through NMED as it is received.."
Notified R4DO (Gepford), ILTAB (email), NMSS Events Notification (email), and CNSNS-Mexico (email)
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A 'Less than Cat 3' LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf