2009 Report to Government on National Research and

for NDA <strong>to</strong> acquire additional or specialised skills <strong>to</strong> implement geological
disposal. When CoRWM met with NDA in April 2008 (CoRWM doc. 2373), it was
informed that NDA’s skills development was being extended <strong>to</strong> the geological
disposal programme with input <strong>to</strong> the NDA Skills and Capability Strategy from
RWMD.
4.43 CoRWM questioned (CoRWM doc. 2456) whether NDA has the necessary level
of in-house geosciences expertise <strong>to</strong> enable external work (e.g., in site
characterisation and geosphere studies) <strong>to</strong> be integrated effectively in<strong>to</strong> its
overall programme. It was assured that NDA recognises this issue and is actively
recruiting <strong>to</strong> match programme needs. CoRWM understands two senior staff
members have recently been recruited in this area (CoRWM doc. 2630).
4.44 Of particular importance <strong>to</strong> the geological disposal programme is the need <strong>to</strong>
understand the interactions that will occur over very long periods between
emplaced wastes, containers and buffer materials and the geosphere. The
geosphere components include not only the rocks within which a GDF is
constructed, but also the fracture systems in these rocks, the groundwater fluids
percolating through the rocks and GDF, and any introduced micro-organisms.
Understanding and predicting these interactions in enough detail <strong>to</strong> develop a
safety case requires a combination of sophisticated mathematical modelling and
high quality experimental data that, for geological systems, are often extremely
difficult <strong>to</strong> obtain.
4.45 There is evidence that the UK needs more skills capability in the area of ‘coupled
thermal-hydraulic-chemical-mechanical’ (THCM) processes. Study of these
processes is a major feature of the leading international R&D programmes
(CoRWM docs 2455, 2484).
4.46 There is also the issue of experience in underground R&D. Many countries that
are implementing geological disposal have had URLs for many years and have
built up considerable experience (Section 5). Some UK researchers have worked
in URLs in other countries but the numbers of people involved are small and
some of the experience was gained many years ago by people who are now
close <strong>to</strong> retirement. It is important that UK-based personnel are trained in
underground R&D skills and working practices through active participation in
overseas URL programmes <strong>to</strong> ensure the UK has a suitably experienced
workforce when required (Section 5).
Consultant and Contrac<strong>to</strong>r based R&D Skills
4.47 An important pool of UK geoscience experience relevant <strong>to</strong> the geological
disposal of radioactive waste currently resides in consulting organisations and
among independent consultants. A large amount of commissioned work has
been (and is still being) done by UK-based consultants for overseas WMOs, most
notably in Sweden, Finland, the USA, France and Japan. Many of these
scientists have 20-30 years of experience but, as with much of the nuclear
industry, they are approaching retirement, and in many cases are working
beyond retirement.
CoRWM Document 2543, Oc<strong>to</strong>ber <strong>2009</strong> Page 75 of 151