(a) This part prescribes requirements for the issuance of a license authorizing the use of licensed materials including sealed sources, radioactive tracers, radioactive markers, and uranium sinker bars in well logging in a single well. This part also prescribes radiation safety requirements for persons using licensed materials in these operations. The provisions and requirements of this part are in addition to, and not in substitution for, other requirements of this chapter. In particular, the provisions of parts 19, 20, 21, 30, 37, 40, 70, 71, and 150 of this chapter apply to applicants and licensees subject to this part.

(b) The requirements set out in this part do not apply to the issuance of a license authorizing the use of licensed material in tracer studies involving multiple wells, such as field flooding studies, or to the use of sealed sources auxiliary to well logging but not lowered into wells.

Energy compensation source (ECS) means a small sealed source, with an activity not exceeding 3.7 MBq [100 microcuries], used within a logging tool, or other tool components, to provide a reference standard to maintain the tool's calibration when in use.

Field station means a facility where licensed material may be stored or used and from which equipment is dispatched to temporary jobsites.

Fresh water aquifer, for the purpose of this part, means a geologic formation that is capable of yielding fresh water to a well or spring.

Injection tool means a device used for controlled subsurface injection of radioactive tracer material.

Irretrievable well logging source means any sealed source containing licensed material that is pulled off or not connected to the wireline that suspends the source in the well and for which all reasonable effort at recovery has been expended.

Licensed material means byproduct, source, or special nuclear material received, processed, used, or transferred under a license issued by the Commission under the regulations in this chapter.

Logging assistant means any individual who, under the personal supervision of a logging supervisor, handles sealed sources or tracers that are not in logging tools or shipping containers or who performs surveys required by § 39.67.

Logging supervisor means an individual who uses licensed material or provides personal supervision in the use of licensed material at a temporary jobsite and who is responsible to the licensee for assuring compliance with the requirements of the Commission's regulations and the conditions of the license.

Logging tool means a device used subsurface to perform well logging.

Personal supervision means guidance and instruction by a logging supervisor, who is physically present at a temporary jobsite, who is in personal contact with logging assistants, and who can give immediate assistance.

Radioactive marker means licensed material used for depth determination or direction orientation. For purposes of this part, this term includes radioactive collar markers and radioactive iron nails.

Safety review means a periodic review provided by the licensee for its employees on radiation safety aspects of well logging. The review may include, as appropriate, the results of internal inspections, new procedures or equipment, accidents or errors that have been observed, and opportunities for employees to ask safety questions.

Sealed source means any licensed material that is encased in a capsule designed to prevent leakage or escape of the licensed material.

Source holder means a housing or assembly into which a sealed source is placed to facilitate the handling and use of the source in well logging.

Subsurface tracer study means the release of unsealed license material or a substance labeled with licensed material in a single well for the purpose of tracing the movement or position of the material or substance in the well or adjacent formation.

Surface casing for protecting fresh water aquifers means a pipe or tube used as a lining in a well to isolate fresh water aquifers from the well.

Temporary jobsite means a place where licensed materials are present for the purpose of performing well logging or subsurface tracer studies.

Tritium neutron generator target source means a tritium source used within a neutron generator tube to produce neutrons for use in well logging applications.

Uranium sinker bar means a weight containing depleted uranium used to pull a logging tool toward the bottom of a well.

Well means a drilled hole in which well logging may be performed. As used in this part, “well” includes drilled holes for the purpose of oil, gas, mineral, groundwater, or geological exploration.

Well logging means all operations involving the lowering and raising of measuring devices or tools which contain licensed material or are used to detect licensed materials in wells for the purpose of obtaining information about the well or adjacent formations which may be used in oil, gas, mineral, groundwater, or geological exploration.

Except as specifically authorized by the Commission in writing, no interpretation of the meaning of the regulations in this part by any officer or employee of the Commission, other than a written interpretation by the General Counsel, will be recognized to be binding upon the Commission.

(a) The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has submitted the information collection requirements contained in this part to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S. 3501 et seq.) The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved the information collection requirements contained in this part under control number 3150-0130.

(b) The approved information collection requirements contained in this part appear in §§ 39.11, 39.13, 39.15, 39.17, 39.31, 39.33, 39.35, 39.37, 39.39, 39.43, 39.51, 39.61, 39.63, 39.65, 39.67, 39.73, 39.75, 39.77, and 39.91.

(c) This part contains information collection requirements in addition to those approved under the control number specified in paragraph (a) of this section. These information collection requirements and the control numbers under which they are approved are as follows:

(1) In § 39.11, NRC Form 313 is approved under control 3150-0120.

(2) [Reserved]