Gasbuggy experiment

Technical Report · Mon Mar 10 04:00:00 EST 1969

OSTI ID:7067707

Holzer, F

The planning, execution, and interpretation of nuclear explosions for peaceful purposes require people with training and experience in a variety of disciplines, as well as with a broad and mature outlook. This training and experience was tested in the Gasbuggy experiment, not only in accomplishing the various tasks, but also in overcoming a number of unexpected difficulties. Results from postshot drilling, gas production, and radiochemical and chemical analyses indicate a cavity radius of 80 ft, a chimney height of 335 ft, and failure in the rock matrix to between 400 and 500 ft. Offsets along geologic weaknesses have been observed 750 ft from the detonation center. Concentrations of tritium and krypton in samples taken from the chimney gas are about 10 and 2 mu Ci/cu ft, respectively, and vary with the rate of gas production from the chimney. Results so far, while encouraging, emphasize a number of unanswered questions in the use of nuclear explosions for gas reservoir stimulation.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7067707
• Report Number(s): UCRL-71624
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030900* -- Natural Gas-- Artificial Stimulation
Plowshare-- (-1989)
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450201 -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Nuclear Explosions & Explosives-- Containment
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CAVITIES
CHIMNEYS
COMMINUTION
CROSSTIE OPERATION
DIMENSIONS
ELEMENTS
ENGINEERING
EVALUATION
EXPLOSIONS
EXPLOSIVE FRACTURING
EXPLOSIVE STIMULATION
FIELD TESTS
FLUIDS
FRACTURING
GAS ANALYSIS
GASBUGGY EVENT
GASES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FISSURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
KRYPTON
LIGHT NUCLEI
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NATURAL GAS FIELDS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PLOWSHARE PROJECT
PRODUCTION
RADIOACTIVITY LOGGING
RADIOISOTOPES
RARE GASES
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
STIMULATION
TESTING
TRAINING
TRITIUM
UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS
USES
WELL LOGGING
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES