Lessons from Loscoe: the uncontrolled migration of landfill gas

G. M. Williams and N. Aitkenhead
Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, 24, 191-207, 1 May 1991, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.QJEG.1991.024.02.03

Abstract

In March 1986 a house at Loscoe in Derbyshire was completely destroyed by a methane gas explosion, badly injuring the three occupants. Eight months later at a Public Inquiry, the sequence of events leading up to the incident was established and evidence produced to ascertain the origin of the methane. During the proceedings it became apparent that signs of ground heating had been detected approximately 100 m beyond the boundary of a near-by landfill some years before the explosion but that the phenomenon had been misinterpreted as a shallow burning coal seam. Had the geology of the area and the geochemistry of methane been known to the investigators at that time, it is possible that the landfill would have been identified as the source of methane and the Loscoe area protected from the dangers of uncontrolled gas migration.

References

  1. Aitkenhead, N. & Williams, G. M., 1986. Geological Evidence to the Public Inquiry into the Gas Explosion at Loscoe. British Geological Survey Report No FP/87/8/ 83AS.
  2. Antonov, P. L. , 1970. Diffusion permeability in sedimentary rocks for hydrocarbon gases. Trudy Vsesoyuznoga Naucho-Issledovatelskoga Instituta Yad Geofizika Geokimika, 8, 51–79 (in Russian).
    OpenUrl
  3. Barlaz, M.A. , et al.1989. Bacterial population development and chemical characteristics of refuse decomposition in a simulated sanitary landfill. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 55, 55–65.
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  4. Baver, L. D., , Gardner, W. H. , & Gardner, W. R. , 1972. Soil Physics, 4th edn. Wiley, New York.
  5. Bird, R. B., , Stewart, W. E. , & Lightfoot, E. N. , 1960. Transport Phenomena. Wiley, New York.
  6. Burke, R. A. , & Sackett, W. M. , 1986. Stable hydrogen and carbon isotopic compositions of biogenic methane from several shallow aquatic environments. In: Sohn, M. L. , (ed.), American Chemical Society Symposium Series, 305.
  7. Coleman, D. D. 1976. Isotopic characterisation of Illinois natural gas. PhD thesis, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign.
  8. Department of the Environment, 1986. Landfilling Wastes. Waste Management Paper No. 26, HMSO, London.
  9. Department of the Environment, 1989. The Control of Landfill Gas. Waste Management Paper No. 27, HMSO, London.
  10. Doelle, H. W. , 1975. Bacterial Metabolism, 2nd edn. Academic, New York.
  11. Emberton, J. R. 1984. Gas composition tables. United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Report, AERE M 3432.
  12. Flynn, N. W. , & DeLappe, B. , 1988. Trace constituents in landfill gas. Task report on sampling and analysis. Gas Research Institute.
  13. Frost, D. V. & Smart, J. G. O. 1979. Geology of the Country North of Derby. Memoir of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, Sheet 125.
  14. Geological Survey of Great Britain, 1963. Summary of Progress for 1962. HMSO, London.
  15. Gibson, W., , Pocock, T., , Wedd, C. B. , & Sherlock, R. L. , 1908. The geology of the southern part of the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Coalfield. Memoir of the Geological Survey of Great Britain. HMSO, London.
  16. Hitchman, S. P., , Darling, W. G. , & Williams, G. M. , 1989. Stable Isotope Ratios of Carbon and Hydrogen in Methane Containing Gases in the UK. Report of the British Geological Survey, Fluid Processes Research Group, WE/89/30.
  17. Hoeks, J. , 1983. Significance of biogas production in waste tips. Waste Management and Research, 1, 323–335.
    OpenUrlCrossRef
  18. Institute of Geological Sciences, 1972. 1:50,000 series Geological Sheet 125 (Derby). HMSO, London.
  19. Institute of Wastes Management, 1989. Monitoring Landfill Gas. Obtainable from the Institute, 3 Albion Place, Northampton, NN1 1UD.
  20. Khan, A. , & Nash, M., , 1980. Fire down below? Surveyor, 6th March, 1980.
  21. Lema, J. M. , & Ibanez, E. , 1985. Kinetics of landfill leachate treatment by anaerobic digestion. In Palz, W. , et al.(eds), Energy from Biomass 3rd EC Conference.
  22. Leythaeuser, D., , Schaffer, R. G. , & Yukler, A. , 1982. Role of diffusion in the primary migration of hydrocarbons. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 66, 408–429.
    OpenUrlAbstract
  23. National Coal Board, 1975. Subsidence Engineer's Handbook, 2nd edn. The Board, London.
  24. Noble, J. J. Nunez-McNally, T. & Tansel, B. 1988. The effects of mass transfer on landfill stabilisation rates. In: Landfill Gas and Anaerobic Digestion of Solid Waste, 4-7th Oct, Chester, England, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell, UK, 519–532.
  25. Oana, S. , & Deevey, E. S. , 1960. Carbon-13 in lake waters and its possible bearing on palaeolimnology. American Journal of Science, 258-A, 253–272.
    OpenUrlWeb of Science
  26. Ojsyannikov, J. M. , & Lebedev, J. S. , 1967. Isotopic composition of carbon in gases of biochemical origin. Geochemistry Internatiotial, 4, 453–458.
    OpenUrl
  27. Pacey, J. G. , 1986. Factors influencing landfill gas production. In: Landfill Gas, Solihull, UK 28-31 Oct, 51–59.
  28. Pandey, G. N., , Tek, M. R. , & Katz, D. L. , 1974. Diffusion of fluids through porous media with implications in Petroleum Geology. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 58, 291–303.
    OpenUrlAbstract
  29. Ryan, G., King, P. J. & Munday, G. 1988. Report of the Non Statutory Public Inquiry into the gas explosion at Loscoe, Derbyshire, 24th March, 1986. Vol I: Report (92 pp), Vol II: Appendices (16 document submissions). Available from the County Information Officer, Derbyshire County Council, County Offices, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 3AG.
  30. Sahores, J. J. , & Witherspoon, P. A., , 1966, Diffusion of light paraffin hydrocarbons in water from 2° to 80°C. In: Hobson G. D. , & Speers G. C. , (eds) Advances in Organic Geochemistry. Proceedings of the Third International Congress. Pergamon, Oxford.
  31. Schoell, M. , 1980. The hydrogen and carbon isotopic composition of methane from natural gas of various origins. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 44, 649–661.
    OpenUrlCrossRefWeb of Science
  32. Sumner, J. (Chairman), 1971. Refuse Disposal. Report of the Working Party on Waste Disposal. HMSO, London.
  33. Swain, F. M. , 1986. Composition of marsh gases in the central and eastern US. Applied Geochemistry, 1, 301–305.
    OpenUrlCrossRef
  34. Swain, F. M. , 1977. Environmental aspects of marsh gas. In: Gwen P. H. , & Cohen, A. D. , Interdisciplinary studies of peat and coal origins. Geological Society of America, Microform Publication 7.
  35. Thimons, E. D. , & Kissell, F. N. , 1973. Diffusion of Methane through Coal. Fuel, 52, 274–280.
    OpenUrlCrossRef
  36. Tiratsoo, E. N. , 1979. Natural Gas 3rd edn.
  37. Wasserburg, G. J. , et al.1963. Isotopic and chemical composition of some terrestrial natural gases. In: Geiss, J. , & Goldberg, E. D. , (eds) Earth Science Meteorics.
  38. Weast, R. C. , (ed.) 1987. Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 67th edn. CRC, Boca Raton, Florida, USA.
  39. Williams, G. M. , 1980. Control of Pollution Act 1974: Aspects of changes in landfill practice. Journal of the Institution of Water Engineers and Scientists, 34(2), 153–160.
    OpenUrl
  40. Williams, G. M. , & Harrison, I. B. , 1983. Case study of a Containment Site: the Hooton Landfill, Cheshire. Report of the Fluid Processes Research Group, British Geological Survey, FLPU 83–88.
  41. Williams, G. M. , & Hitchman, S. P. , 1989. The generation and migration of gases in the subsurface. In: Methane Facing the Problems, Nottingham University, 26–28th September.
  42. Wilson, D. C., Manley, B. J. W., Nunez-McNally, T., Shaw, S. & Tillotson, H. S. 1988. National assessment of landfill gas as a resource. Landfill Gas and Anaerobic Digestion of Solid Waste 4-7th Oct, Chester, England. Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell, UK, 369–379.
Back to top
Alerts
Citation tools
Permissions
View PDF
Email to