The small stainless steel cylinder contains radioactive Americium-241/Beryllium. Photo / Supplied

Halliburton is offering a reward for a piece of oilfield equipment containing potentially dangerous radioactive material missing somewhere in West Texas.

The small stainless steel cylinder, about 18cm long and 2.5cm wide, contains radioactive Americium-241/Beryllium.

The device is used to evaluate oil and gas wells and is usually stored in a protective shielding.


A Halliburton oilfield crew lost the item last week while transporting it from Pecos to near Odessa. On arrival, the crew noticed the shielding was not locked and the device was missing.


According to an incident report by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the FBI has interviewed the three crew members and believes “there was no criminal activity involved with the missing” cylinder.


The Texas Department of State Health Services said the device is not considered highly radioactive but could expose someone who comes in close contact with it for an extended period of time to a harmful dose of radiation.


The cylinder is stamped with the words “danger radioactive” and “do not handle” along with a radiation warning symbol.


Halliburton Loses Radioactive Device in Texas - Reward Offered | Environment



Oh things like that just go missing....