Workshop on Radioactive Well Logging Source Risk Mitigation in ISTC and STCU Member States Held in Kazakhstan 

The International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) and the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU) hosted a workshop titled “Radioactive Well Logging Source Risk Mitigation in ISTC and STCU Member States” on September 12^th-13^th in Atyrau, Kazakhstan.  This workshop was held under a Targeted Initiative that aims to raise government and industry awareness in countries belonging to ISTC and STCU of the options for mitigating the risks of using radionuclide-based tools for oil well logging, including possibilities to replace such tools with less vulnerable technologies. 

The Initiative and workshop were dedicated to addressing well logging source security in the ISTC/STCU Member States of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine. Over 30 participants from the three countries’ government, industry, and scientific institutions, as well as representatives from the International Atomic Energy Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy attended the workshop.  Government and industry shared their perspectives on mobile well logging source security, and the panelists on alternative technologies discussed current research and development efforts to replace radioisotope-based devices with less vulnerable technologies.  The results of an industry questionnaire on well logging source security in the three Member States also were presented during the workshop.   

The outcome of this workshop was the mutual agreement between industry, government, and academia on the value of mitigating the security risks associated with transportation, use, and storage of mobile well logging tools. It was agreed that risk mitigation activities could be strengthened through close cooperation between all parties involved in the workshop.