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Large cavities in salt deposits have been used in a number of countries for stocking petroleum in strategic reserves and for operational storage. Stocks have included hydrocarbon gases, motor gasoline, home heating oil, jet fuel, and crude oil. Crude oil is not subject to deleterious changes in quality, although it does tend to deposit sludge during storage. No changes in quality of light hydrocarbons such as propane and butane have been reported. During storage in solution-mined cavities, gasoline and middle distillates can become contaminated with brine causing them to fail certain specification tests. Oxygen brought in with the water used to leach cavities can promote autoxidation resulting in formation of soluble or insoluble gum in some products. The walls of salt cavities are largely inert with respect to stored petroleum, and no reactions between them have been reported. Biodeterioration of petroleum is generally inhibited by the high salinity of the brine, but episodic bacterial activity could occur following injections of relatively fresh surface water resulting in catabolism of hydrocarbons, or production of hydrogen sulfide or methane. With careful planning and exercise of a few precautions, most quality problems encountered to date can be avoided. Petroleum stored in cavities in salt should not need to be rolled over as frequently to maintain its quality as it would if stored in aboveground tanks.

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