Determination of the maximum allowable gas pressure for an underground gas storage salt cavern - A case study of Jintan, China
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Authors
Wang, Tongtao
Li, Jianjun
Jing, Gang
Zhang, Qingqing
Yang, Chunhe
Daemen, Jaak J. K.
Issue Date
2019
Type
Article
Language
en_US
Keywords
Underground gas storage (UGS) salt cavern , In situ stress testing , Maximum gas pressure , Gas penetration failure , Microseismic monitoring
Alternative Title
Abstract
Increasing the allowable gas pressure of underground gas storage (UGS) is one of the most effective methods to increase its working gas capacity. In this context, hydraulic fracturing tests are implemented on the target formation for the UGS construction of Jintan salt caverns, China, in order to obtain the minimum principal in situ stress and the fracture breakdown pressure. Based on the test results, the maximum allowable gas pressure of the Jintan UGS salt cavern is calibrated. To determine the maximum allowable gas pressure, KING-1 and KING-2 caverns are used as examples. A three-dimensional (3D) geomechanical model is established based on the sonar data of the two caverns with respect to the features of the target formation. New criteria for evaluating gas penetration failure and gas seepage are proposed. Results show that the maximum allowable gas pressure of the Jintan UGS salt cavern can be increased from 17 MPa to 18 MPa (i.e. a gradient of about 18 kPa/m at the casing shoe depth). Based on numerical results, a field test with increasing maximum gas pressure to 18 MPa has been carried out in KING-1 cavern. Microseismic monitoring has been conducted during the test to evaluate the safety of the rock mass around the cavern. Field monitoring data show that KING-1 cavern is safe globally when the maximum gas pressure is increased from 17 MPa to 18 MPa. This shows that the geomechanical model and criteria proposed in this context for evaluating the maximum allowable gas pressure are reliable. (C) 2019 Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.
Description
Citation
Wang, T., Li, J., Jing, G., Zhang, Q., Yang, C., & Daemen, J. J. K. (2019). Determination of the maximum allowable gas pressure for an underground gas storage salt cavern �" A case study of Jintan, China. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 11(2), 251�"262. doi:10.1016/j.jrmge.2018.10.004
Publisher
Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
Journal
Volume
Issue
PubMed ID
ISSN
1674-7755