Application of spectral gamma-ray borehole geophysics for characterization of radionuclide contamination at Hanford

Conference · Fri Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:10190630

Brodeur, J R; Koizumi, C J; Meisner, J P; Price, R K; Fassett, J W

An innovative, passive, gamma-ray borehole logging program was developed at Hanford for the purpose of identifying and quantifying the gamma-ray-emitting radioisotopes in the subsurface. Recent nuclear counting equipment was configured into a borehole logging system and calibration methods were devised for the in situ assay of man-made radionuclides. Operation procedures and data analysis methods were developed, creating an efficient production logging system. The logging program has proven to be effective when used in a screening mode for characterizing effluent release sites at Hanford. It located the primary gamma-emitting contaminants and identified which of the sites had contributed to the groundwater contamination. At one of the single-shell tank farms, the system was used to quantify the unsaturated zone contamination and trace the contamination back to the tank leak sources. It also provided a baseline of the radioelement concentrations for future data comparisons and to permit identification of a dynamic radionuclide transport system. In this manner, the logging program can help to identify future tank leaks. When combined with an inexpensive drilling method, the logging program can produce in situ radioelement concentration data at a fraction of the cost of conventional drilling and sampling, without personnel exposure to the contamination or generation of waste, and it can be done in a matter of days instead of months. Future developments will refine the quality assurance program so that the system will produce laboratory-quality in situ assays. Future applications will require a high degree of quality assurance.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-87RL10930
• OSTI ID: 10190630
• Report Number(s): WHC-SA--2055; CONF-931095--28; ON: DE94001691
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002
053002
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540230
540250
BOREHOLES
CONTAMINATION
DATA ANALYSIS
GAMMA LOGGING
GEOPHYSICS
GROUND WATER
HANFORD RESERVATION
LEAKS
QUALITY ASSURANCE
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SITE RESOURCE AND USE STUDIES
SOILS
TANKS
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE