• PRCI PR-168-180
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PRCI PR-168-180

  • Design Guidelines for Mined Cavern Storage of Natural Gas
  • Report / Survey by Pipeline Research Council International, 04/01/1984
  • Publisher: PRCI

$198.00$395.00


L51456e

Lachel Hansen & Associates

Need: Underground storage of natural gas can be considered a mature industry in North America. It was first practiced in1915 and has grown remarkably since 1950, resulting in nearly 71/2 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of storage in more than 399underground facilities in 26 states and in Canada by 1979.The concept of mining rock caverns specifically for the storage of natural gas has been discussed in gas industry literature since the 1950s. Interest in this concept has increased in the last few years due to the skyrocketing cost of surface construction and the need for large storage facilities to serve the northern states. In May 1983, the Pipeline Research Council International, Inc. commissioned this study to provide a manual to lead the potential gas storage cavern developer through the siting, design, and construction stages of an underground gas storage facility.

Result: Mined cavern storage of natural gas is a technical and economically feasible alternative to surface storage. Favorable geologic environments exist in many locations, and the risk of cost overruns or unproductive expense can be minimized through a stepwise planning and design procedure. Design and construction techniques for underground structures are well precedented with numerous successful cavern projects completed for powerhouses, military purposes, and mines. A mined cavern storage system has been operating in an abandoned coal mine in Leyden, Colorado, for over 20 years, with another planned by a consortium of gas companies for the New York City area. We look forward to the day when mined cavern storage is recognized as a viable option during the planning of a gas storage system.


Benefit: The manual begins with general geologic siting criteria, and proceeds to the various types of cavern storage systems, and then to a discussion of environmental and permitting requirements of the facility. Finally, the manual guides the reader through the stages of design and construction and presents the fundamentals of underground engineering.

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