Method for disposing naturally occurring radioactive material within a subterranean formation
AssigneeAmoco Corporation
InventorsAngela S. Curry, Keith A. Seilhan, Charles A. LeBlanc
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for disposing of radioactive material in a disposal area, which is accessible from the surface through a wellbore which contains a wellbore fluid. The method comprises the steps of: encapsulating the radioactive material within a container, placing the container in the wellbore, passing the container through the wellbore to the disposal area, and equalizing the differential pressure between the wellbore pressure and internal pressure within the container as the capsule descends within the wellbore, prior to the differential pressure reaching a magnitude which would exceed a design collapse rating of the container.
Claims24
A method for disposing of radioactive material in a disposal area accessible from the surface through a wellbore, the wellbore containing fluid and having a wellbore pressure A, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) encapsulating the radioactive material within a container, the container having void space between the particles of radioactive material and having an internal pressure B;
- (b) placing the container in the wellbore;
- (c) passing the container through the wellbore to the disposal area;
- and
- (d) equalizing a differential pressure between A and B to maintain a magnitude of the differential pressure between A and B less than the magnitude which would exceed a design collapse rating of the container.
An apparatus for transporting radioactive material to a downhole disposal area, the downhole disposal area being accessible from the surface through a wellbore, the wellbore containing liquid and having a wellbore pressure which increases with depth beneath the earth's surface, comprising:
- a body having a design collapse rating which will be exceeded by the forces which act on the body as a result of the pressure within the downhole disposal area;
- radioactive material placed within the body, the body having an internal pressure;
- and
- means for allowing liquid to flow from the wellbore into the body for equalizing the internal pressure with the wellbore pressure as the body descends within the wellbore to prevent the design collapse rating from being exceeded.
An apparatus for disposing of radioactive material, comprising:
- a wellbore containing a fluid, the wellbore having a wellbore pressure which increases with depth beneath the earth's surface;
- a downhole disposal area for receiving radioactive material, the downhole disposal area being accessible from the earth's surface through the wellbore;
- a container for placement within the downhole disposal area, the container having a design collapse rating which will be exceeded by the forces which act on the container as a result of the pressure within the downhole disposal area;
- radioactive material placed within the container, the container having an internal pressure;
- and
- a pressure equalization valve for equalizing the internal pressure with the wellbore pressure as the container descends within the wellbore to prevent the design collapse rating from being exceeded.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.