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PRCI PR-12-71
- Theoretical and Laboratory Studies Relative to the Design of Salt Caverns for the Storage of Natural Gas
- Report / Survey by Pipeline Research Council International, 06/30/1982
- Publisher: PRCI
$198.00$395.00
L51411e
Pennsylvania State University
Need: Salt cavern storage of natural gas in many cases offers considerable advantages over conventional reservoir storage due to the characteristic high deliverability of such facilities. Furthermore, salt deposits, suitable for solution mining of gas storage caverns, exist in many areas where conventional reservoir or aquifer storage facilities are nonexistent or economically unfeasible. It is interesting to note, however, that although salt has been studied for many years by geologists and geophysicists, a review of the world literature indicates that the necessary expertise for designing, constructing, and stability monitoring of engineering "structures" constructed in salt is relatively limited.
Result: This report includes a comprehensive review of the literature associated with the physical properties of salt and salt cavern design, a discussion of the associated rock mechanics concepts, an outline of the design concepts and guidelines used by other workers for salt cavern design, and a description of the detailed in-house laboratory and analytical studies carried out during the project. Although not included in this report, details of the various computer programs developed during this study are available from the Mineral Engineering Department at The Pennsylvania State University.
Benefit: PRCI initiated this research project in the geo-mechanics section at The Pennsylvania State University, involving the design and performance of salt caverns for natural gas storage. An initial review of the available literature early in the project indicated that three important areas should be investigated: (1) Development of a better understanding of how salt behaves under conditions of stress and temperature equivalent to those found around a typical pressurized underground cavern.(2) Application of established mechanics principles to the development of salt cavern design criteria.(3) Evaluation of techniques for monitoring the mechanical stability of salt cavern storage areas.
Pennsylvania State University
Need: Salt cavern storage of natural gas in many cases offers considerable advantages over conventional reservoir storage due to the characteristic high deliverability of such facilities. Furthermore, salt deposits, suitable for solution mining of gas storage caverns, exist in many areas where conventional reservoir or aquifer storage facilities are nonexistent or economically unfeasible. It is interesting to note, however, that although salt has been studied for many years by geologists and geophysicists, a review of the world literature indicates that the necessary expertise for designing, constructing, and stability monitoring of engineering "structures" constructed in salt is relatively limited.
Result: This report includes a comprehensive review of the literature associated with the physical properties of salt and salt cavern design, a discussion of the associated rock mechanics concepts, an outline of the design concepts and guidelines used by other workers for salt cavern design, and a description of the detailed in-house laboratory and analytical studies carried out during the project. Although not included in this report, details of the various computer programs developed during this study are available from the Mineral Engineering Department at The Pennsylvania State University.
Benefit: PRCI initiated this research project in the geo-mechanics section at The Pennsylvania State University, involving the design and performance of salt caverns for natural gas storage. An initial review of the available literature early in the project indicated that three important areas should be investigated: (1) Development of a better understanding of how salt behaves under conditions of stress and temperature equivalent to those found around a typical pressurized underground cavern.(2) Application of established mechanics principles to the development of salt cavern design criteria.(3) Evaluation of techniques for monitoring the mechanical stability of salt cavern storage areas.
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