UK NIREX geological investigations at Sellafield

U. McL. Michie; R. A. Bowden

doi:10.1144/pygs.50.1.5

SUMMARY

Geological investigations of the Sellafield area, west Cumbria by UK NIREX Ltd are part of a site characterization process to assess its suitability for the construction of an underground radioactive waste repository. The geological characterization is an input to the NIREX post-Closure Safety Assessment. This will address all aspects of post-closure radiological safety of the repository, particularly the potential for radionuclide migration in groundwater back to the surface (the biosphere) through the various geological units (the geosphere). This characterization forms the largest geotechnical investigation in Britain and encompasses scales of study from ‘large scale, regional’, covering north-west England and the East Irish Sea Basin to ‘microscopic’, requiring detailed examination of drill cores and individual rock fractures.

REFERENCES

1. Barton N.,
2. et al
. 1992. Geotechnical core characterisation for the UK radioactive waste repository design. ISRM Symposium: Eurock ‘92.
1. Chapman N. A.,
2. McEwan T. J.,
3. Beale H.
1986. Geological environments for deep disposal of intermediate level wastes in the United Kingdom. IAEA-SM-289/37, International Atomic Energy Agency Symposium on siting, design and construction of underground repositories for radioactive waste, Hanover, 3–7 March 1986.
1. Hooper A. J.
1991. Recent developments in site evaluation in the UK. NEA meeting of Co-ordinating Group on site evaluation and design of experiments for radioactive waste disposal, Helsinki.
1. Horseman S.T.,
2. Shaw R. P.,
3. Rogers S. F.
1992. Drill core characterisation within the UK NIREX Ltd site investigation programme. ISRM Symposium: Eurock ‘92.
1. Ireland T. J.
1992. Characterisation of the Sellafield area for the development of an underground radioactive waste repository. ISRM Symposium: Eurock ‘92.
NIREX, 1989. Deep Repository Project, preliminary environmental and radiological assessment and preliminary safety report. UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 71.
NIREX, 1991. An interpretation of regional seismic reflection data offshore Sellafield. Chadwick R. A., Evans D. J., Wing-Field R. T., Hulbert A. G., Holliday D. W. UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 270.
NIREX, 1992a. The geology and hydrogeology of Sellafield. Michie U.McL. (editor). UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 263.
NIREX, 1992b. The geology of the region around Sellafield. Holliday D. W. (editor). UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 264.
NIREX, 1992c. Structural geology of the Sellafield Region. Barnes R. P. (editor). UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 265.
NIREX, 1992d. Dounreay and Sellafield geological investigations. Interpretation, Sellafield Site–District Geology. Gutmanis J. C. (Team Leader). UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 266.
NIREX, 1992e. Sellafield rock characteristics. Bailey D. (editor). UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 267.
NIREX, 1992f. Sellafield hydrogeology. Black J. H. (editor). UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 268.
NIREX, 1992g. Remote sensing and fracture studies of the Sellafield Region (Preliminary Interpretation Report). Gibb Deep Geology Group, UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 269.
NIREX, 1992h. New geophysical data–Sellafield. Gibb Deep Geology Group. UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 271.
NIREX, 1992i. Sellafield Site–District geology, data integration. Gutmanis J. C. (Team Leader). UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 272.
NIREX, 1992j. Interpretation of intra-basement seismic reflection events at Sellafield. Chadwick R. A., Evans D. J., Millward D., Rowley W. J. UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 341.
NIREX, 1993a. Lower Palaeozoic rocks of the Sellafield area: December 1992 update. Millward D. (compiler). UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 515.
NIREX, 1993b. The early Carboniferous (Dinantian) rocks of the Sellafield District: December 1993 update. Riley N. J. (compiler). UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 516.
NIREX, 1993c. The Permo-Triassic rocks of the Sellafield Area: December 1993 update. Holliday D. W. (compiler). UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 517.
NIREX, 1993d. Jurassic to Neogene structural evolution of the Sellafield area: December 1993 update. Chadwick R. A. (compiler). UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 518.
NIREX, 1993e. Quaternary geology of the Sellafield Area: December 1993 update. Eaton, G. P. UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 519.
NIREX, 1993f. The geological structure of the Sellafield area: December 1993 update. Barnes R. P. (compiler). UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 520.
NIREX, 1993g. A review of recent non-seismic geophysical studies in the Sellafield area: December 1993 update. Kimbell G. S. (compiler) UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 521.
NIREX, 1993h. The geology and hydrogeology of the Sellafield area. Interim Assessment December 1993. ; The geology (vol. 1) ; The geological structure of the Sellafield area (vol. 2); The hydrogeology (vol. 3); Investigation results (vol. 4). UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 524.
NIREX, 1993i. Scientific update 1993, Nirex deep waste repository project. UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 525.
NIREX, 1993j. The 3-D structure of the Region and District areas around Sellafield: October 1993 update. UK NIREX Ltd Report Number 346.
1. Robins N. S.
1980. The geology of some United Kingdom nuclear sites related to the disposal of low and medium level radioactive wastes. Institute of Geological Sciences, Radioactive Waste Disposal Series, Environmental Protection Unit. Report ENPU 80-5.