Surface Deformations Caused by the Convergence of Large Underground Gas Storage Facilities

The article presents a method of forecasting the deformation of the land surface over large fields of underground gas storage facilities located in salt caverns. The solution allows for taking into account many parameters characterising the operation of underground gas storage facilities, such as cavern processes (leaching, enlargement, operational, etc.), their depth, distribution, diameter, shape, and many others. The advantage of the applied method over other available options is the possibility of using it for large fields of caverns while keeping the calculations simple. The effectiveness of the method has been proven for predicted surface subsidence for the EPE field with 114 underground caverns. The hypothesis was compared with the measurement outcomes.

Automated summary

The article introduces a method for predicting the deformation of the land surface over large underground gas storage facilities in salt caverns, considering various parameters while keeping calculations simple. The effectiveness of the method was demonstrated through predicted surface subsidence for the EPE field with 114 underground caverns.