Gas generation and migration from a deep geological repository for radioactive waste. A review of Nirex/NDA’s work

The Environment Agency’s Nuclear Waste Assessment
Team (NWAT) commissioned Quintessa to review
Nirex/NDA's work relating to gas evolution and migration
in the context of disposing of higher activity radioactive
waste in a deep geological repository.
Significant quantities of gas (mainly hydrogen, carbon
dioxide and methane) will be generated in a deep
geological repository. Some of this gas is likely to be
radioactive. If gas accumulates in a repository there will
be a build up of pressure which has the potential to
disturb the engineered structure of the repository and its
host rock. If gas is not contained there will be other
consequences, particularly on the local ground water
flow regime.