Effects of Depressurization on Cavern and Well Integrity
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Crude oil storage caverns at the United States Strategic Petroleum Reserve are depressurized for well workovers . The depressurization changes the forces within the salt around the cavern resulting in increased cavern closure rate, changes in neighboring cavern behaviors, and possible surface subsidence. These effects are all associated with changes within the salt around the cavern. Conclusions about the effects at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve include: the majority of cavern volume is lost at the start of a workover; two behaviors, one an increase in pressurization rate and one a tracking of the workover cavern pressure, are seen in neighboring caverns; surface subsidence must take into account recent workovers for accurate site-wide evaluation. Impacts on cavern integrity and well integrity were not assessed at this time, modeling for integrity will be informed by the results of this study.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE), Petroleum Reserves; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000; NA0003525
- OSTI ID:
- 1733265
- Report Number(s):
- SAND--2017-6858; 654889
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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