A cylinder containing potentially dangerous radioactive material went missing last week somewhere in rural part of West Texas when it was being transported from a well outside of Pecos to another well south of Odessa by oil field services company Halliburton Co. (HAL).
The Texas Department of State Health Services, which is looking for the missing device, cautions anyone who sees it stay at least 25 feet away and notify local law enforcement.
The sealed stainless steel cylinder, which is about 7 inches long and an inch wide, contains radioactive isotope Americium-241/Beryllium, and is used to evaluate oil and gas wells, and is usually stored in a protective shielding. The cylinder is stamped with the words "danger radioactive" and "do not handle" along with a radiation warning symbol.
Though not considered highly radioactive, the device could expose someone who comes in close contact with it for an extended period of time to a harmful dose of radiation, the Texas Department of State Health Services said in a statement.
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.