Survey of salt deposits and salt caverns: their relevance to the strategic petroleum reserve
Rock salt has been mined in the United States by underground mining since 1867 and by large scale water-leaching methods since shortly after World War II. Besides being necessary to sustain human and animal life, salt is used to melt ice from roadways and as a feedstock for the petrochemical industry. Since the 1940's, underground caverns have become very useful for storing liquefied petroleum gases and natural gas. In 1965 there was space available for 106,863,000 barrels in salt strata, salt domes, mines, and other reservoirs in 26 states; by 1975 this volume had increased to 304,667,000 barrels in 28 states. Of all underground storage capacity in reservoirs of all types in the United States, about 93 percent is in salt. Salt, in the form of layered or bedded salt or in the unique structure of salt domes, has been ideal for storage of petroleum hydrocarbons. Salt domes offer the best possibility for the large-volume caverns needed in a national strategic storage program.
- Research Organization:
- Federal Energy Administration, Dallas, TX (USA). Region VI
- OSTI ID:
- 7121822
- Report Number(s):
- FEA/S-76/310
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
022000* -- Petroleum-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
03 NATURAL GAS
032000 -- Natural Gas-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
294002 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Petroleum
294003 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Natural Gas
DATA COMPILATION
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
LEVELS
LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GASES
NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
SALT DEPOSITS
STORAGE
UNDERGROUND