Visit to Baku (Azerbaijan) by Prof. Dr. Ahmed Badruzzaman on STCU Targeted Initiative on Radiological Well Logging Sources

18 Jul 2017

Within the Target Initiative (TI) research project “Radiological Well Logging Source Risk Mitigation”, Consultant of US Department of Energy (DOE), professor of University of California, Berkeley Prof. Dr. Ahmed Badruzzaman visited Azerbaijan, Baku city on the 9-11th of May, 2017 under the coordination of Azerbaijan Regional Officer of Science Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU), Assoc. Prof. Gulam Babayev.

The purpose of the TI is to enhance understanding of the security risks posed by the use of radioactive sources in nuclear well logging, as well as raising awareness of the options for mitigating the risks of using radionuclide-based tools for well logging. During his visit, Prof. Ahmed Badruzzaman met with the representatives of some companies involved in well logging industry in Azerbaijan, such as BP Azerbaijan, TOTAL E&P Azerbaijan and Baker Hughes. While the meetings were productive, one of the premium events within the visit of Prof. Ahmed Badruzzaman to Baku was the presentation he made under the auspices of the Baku Section of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE). The main organizers of the presentation from SPE were President of SPE Mr. Ali Naghiyev, Vice-President Mr. Elshan Rzayev, head of Division Mr. Teyrun Gahramanov. The presentation was attended by more than 30 individuals representing international oil companies, such as BP, TOTAL, international logging companies, such as Baker and Halliburton and national oil company State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), both operators and service providers. The presentation entitled “Well logging source security/safety and alternative technologies” explained what the TI entailed and why and sought active industry participation. Some participants from the audience heard of source incidents but were unsure of the content and outcomes. Some fellows from the audience knew and even heard of proposed alternatives. The essential concern from the audience were 1) governments eventually should mandate source replacement; 2) current practice of treating generators on the same basis as radioactive logging sources, and hoping for relaxing this requirement, and 3) potential post-TI effort by STCU and the US DOE on helping to explore alternatives and possibly improve security practices. Most attendees of the SPE presentation expressed an interest with several questions of why and how to replace radiological sources in well logging industry for alternative technology. The presentation of Prof. Dr. Ahmed Badruzzaman made it clear of how to provide policymakers and well logging technology developers and users an understanding of the strengths, gaps, and opportunities in security risk mitigation for well logging sources. Overall, the visit of Prof. Dr. Ahmed Badruzzaman was very productive, worthwhile, beneficial and significant.

Contact Person: Gulam Babayev