Stability and availability evaluation of underground strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) caverns in bedded rock salt of Jintan, China

Zhang, Nan; Shi, Xilin; Wang, Tongtao; Yang, Chunhe; Liu, Wei; Ma, Hongling; Daemen, J.J.K.

doi:10.1016/j.energy.2017.06.073

Cited by 104 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…In this study, three typical indexes, volume shrinkage rate of the cavern, plastic zones of wall rock and displacement of the wall rock are selected to evaluate the stability of the UGS caverns. These three factors are usually utilized as the main criteria for the safety evaluation of UGS caverns in salt formations [33], [40], [41].…”

Section: Simulation Results and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

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Research on the Stability and Treatments of Natural Gas Storage Caverns With Different Shapes in Bedded Salt Rocks

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Because of complex geo-conditions, many caverns by solution mining in bedded salt rocks have different irregular shapes. To verify the feasibility of using irregular-shaped caverns for underground gas storage (UGS), four typical cavern-shapes are selected, and the stability of each type is evaluated and compared by using the numerical simulation methods. The simulation results show that the UGS salt cavern with irregular wall shape has the lowest volume shrinkage and displacement of the wall rock, but larger plastic zones appear in their overhanging and concave parts. Ellipsoid-shape cavern has the best stability. Cylinder-shape cavern and cuboid-shape cavern have the poorest stability. In these two types of caverns, large deformations occur in the roof and sidewall, which pose a great potential of inducing collapse in the wall rock. By comparison of the stability characteristics in different positions of the wall rock, we found that the roof shape has a much greater influence than the sidewall on the stability of a cavern. The roof must be designed as an arch to improve cavern stability. Treatments to improve the stability of irregularly shaped caverns by changing operational pressure and utilization way or by modifying the caverns' shape are also discussed. So, this study not only determined the stability state of different shaped caverns for gas storage in bedded salt rocks, but also provides the ways to modify the irregular-shaped caverns for storage applications. INDEX TERMS Natural gas storage, bedded salt rock, cavern roof, cavern stability analysis, modifying cavern shape. II. CAVERN SHAPES AND SIMULATION MODEL A. SELECTION OF CAVERN SHAPES

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Section: Simulation Results and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This type of caverns can also be used as a strategic oil storage space. This is because when oil is stored in a salt cavern, the pressure of oil in the cavern remains almost constant because the oil will only be withdrawn during emergencies [40], [51]. There is no cyclic internal pressure variation in the cavern.…”

Section: ) Using As An Oil Storage Cavernmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research on the Stability and Treatments of Natural Gas Storage Caverns With Different Shapes in Bedded Salt Rocks

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“…Salt deposits in China are mostly layered rock salt structures, and their geological occurrence conditions are extremely complex, with many rock salt layers, thin single-layer thickness, and many insolubles and insoluble interlayers [19,[22][23][24]. The interlayers seriously affect the sealing characteristics of surrounding rocks of the SPR salt caverns, which are also the key to determine whether salt caverns can store crude oil safely and reliably [25].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microscopic Pore Structure of Surrounding Rock for Underground Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) Caverns in Bedded Rock Salt

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Using salt caverns for an underground strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) is considered as an ideal approach due to the excellent characteristics of low porosity, low permeability, self-healing of damage, and strong plastic deformation ability of rock salt. Salt deposits in China are mostly layered rock salt structures, with the characteristics of many interlayers, bringing great challenges for the construction of SPR facilities. Studying the microscopic pore characteristics of the rock surrounding SPR salt caverns in different environments (with brine and crude oil erosion) is necessary because the essence of mechanical and permeability characteristics is the macroscopic embodiment of the microscopic pore structure. In this paper, XRD tests and SEM tests are carried out to determine the physical properties of storage media and surrounding rock. Gas adsorption tests and mercury intrusion tests are carried out to analyze the microscopic pore structure, specific surface area variation and total aperture distribution characteristics of SPR salt cavern host rock. Results show that: (1) Large numbers of cores in interlayer and caprock may provide favorable channels for the leakage of high-pressure crude oil and brine. (2) The blockage of pores by macromolecular organic matter (colloid and asphaltene) in crude oil will not significantly change the structural characteristics of the rock skeleton, which is beneficial to the long-term operation of the SPR salt cavern. (3) The water–rock interaction will bring obvious changes in the micro-pore structure of rock and increase the leakage risk of the storage medium. The results can provide theoretical bases and methods for the tightness analysis of China’s first underground SPR salt cavern.

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“…In recent years, the government began to strongly support constructing underground storage facilities according to Phase III of China's SPR plan, especially underground SPR salt caverns. Jintan salt mine, in Jiangsu province, will be the primary construction area [18]. FIGURE 2 shows a schematic diagram of UGS and SPR salt caverns in layered salt formations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tightness Analysis of Underground Natural Gas and Oil Storage Caverns With Limit Pillar Widths in Bedded Rock Salt

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To fully utilize the abandoned salt cavern resources and to increase the total amount of the fossil energy reserve of China, reconstructing some of these salt caverns for underground gas storage (UGS) or strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) would be an effective method. The salt resources in China mainly are bedded salt, which brings great challenges for the cavern construction and safety evaluation. In this paper, the investigations are presented to evaluate the tightness of the UGS and SPR salt cavern facilities, located in the bedded rock of Jintan, China. Microcosmic analysis, and permeability and porosity tests of the surrounding rock are carried out to determine their properties, which provide the basic data for the tightness assessment. A 3-D numerical model is developed based on the test results and the geological features of the target formation. The numerical simulation results show that the seepage velocity, seepage range and loss rate of leakage of the SPR salt caverns are much smaller than those of UGS salt caverns. The cavern's pillar width with a pillar to diameter ratio (P/D) of 1.5 can satisfy the tightness requirement of SPR salt caverns, but it cannot meet the requirement of UGS caverns. This indicates that some existing abandoned salt caverns in Jintan which are unsuitable for UGS due to their small pillar width have the potential to be rebuilt for SPR. This would help to increase the storage capacity of crude oil in China. The results can also provide a reference for the implementation of similar projects in other bedded salt districts. INDEX TERMS Bedded rock salt, underground gas storage, strategic petroleum reserve, tightness, seepage.

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Stability and availability evaluation of underground strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) caverns in bedded rock salt of Jintan, China

Cited by 104 publications

References 17 publications

Research on the Stability and Treatments of Natural Gas Storage Caverns With Different Shapes in Bedded Salt Rocks

Research on the Stability and Treatments of Natural Gas Storage Caverns With Different Shapes in Bedded Salt Rocks

Microscopic Pore Structure of Surrounding Rock for Underground Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) Caverns in Bedded Rock Salt

Tightness Analysis of Underground Natural Gas and Oil Storage Caverns With Limit Pillar Widths in Bedded Rock Salt

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