THE EFFECT ON THE RESIDUAL NATURAL GAS IF RADIOACTIVE WASTE MATERIALS WERE TO BE STORED IN A SUITABLE ABANDONED GAS RESERVOIR

Considerable natural gas remains in a gas reservoir after the reservoir pressure drops below pipe line pressure and the gas reservoir is abandoned. This study was made to determine the changes in the natural gas which would be caused by the gamma irradiation if radioactive waste materials were to be stored in the reservoir. A series of investigations was carried out involving irradiation of pure hydrocarbons. mixtures of pure hydrocarbons, and natural gas. Samples of natural gas were irradiated inbulk and in a sand core to determine the effect of environment. The gas phase of the irradiated natural gas is richer in hydrogen, ethane, propane, and hexane-plus hydrocarbons. Approximately one-fourth of the methane molecules that decompose from hydrogen gas and a liquid made up of molecules having a structure of C/sub n/H/sub 2n/. The gas pressure will be increased both by the decomposition of molecules and by the resulting rise in the temperature of the reservoir from absorption of the radiant energy. (auth) 300,000 gal each. While conforming to the principle of total confinement, these tanks were built at a considerably lower cost than the tarks designed for storing high-level radioactive wastes. This saving was brought abeut by the eliminationmore » of a number of features such as cooling coils and the angular space and secondary saucer container around the tank. (auth)« less