Analysis of crude oil vapor pressures at the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
- GRAM, Inc., Albuquerque, NM
Crude oil storage caverns at the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) are solution-mined from subsurface salt domes along the U.S. Gulf Coast. While these salt domes exhibit many attractive characteristics for large-volume, long-term storage of oil such as low cost for construction, low permeability for effective fluids containment, and secure location deep underground, they also present unique technical challenges for maintaining oil quality within delivery standards. The vapor pressures of the crude oils stored at SPR tend to increase with storage time due to the combined effects of geothermal heating and gas intrusion from the surrounding salt. This presents a problem for oil delivery offsite because high vapor-pressure oil may lead to excessive atmospheric emissions of hydrocarbon gases that present explosion hazards, health hazards, and handling problems at atmospheric pressure. Recognizing this potential hazard, the U.S. Department of Energy, owner and operator of the SPR, implemented a crude oil vapor pressure monitoring program that collects vapor pressure data for all the storage caverns. From these data, DOE evaluates the rate of change in vapor pressures of its oils in the SPR. Moreover, DOE implemented a vapor pressure mitigation program in which the oils are degassed periodically and will be cooled immediately prior to delivery in order to reduce the vapor pressure to safe handling levels. The work described in this report evaluates the entire database since its origin in 1993, and determines the current levels of vapor pressure around the SPR, as well as the rate of change for purposes of optimizing both the mitigation program and meeting safe delivery standards. Generally, the rate of vapor pressure increase appears to be lower in this analysis than reported in the past and, problematic gas intrusion seems to be limited to just a few caverns. This being said, much of the current SPR inventory exceeds vapor pressure delivery guidelines and must be degassed and cooled in order to meet current delivery standards.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 923171
- Report Number(s):
- SAND2005-4322; TRN: US200806%%388
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Summary of Degas II performance at the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve Big Hill site.
Observations on vapor pressure in SPR caverns : sources.
Related Subjects
15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
CONSTRUCTION
CONTAINMENT
EXPLOSIONS
GASES
GEOTHERMAL HEATING
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROCARBONS
MITIGATION
MONITORING
ORIGIN
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM
STORAGE
STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE
US GULF COAST
VAPOR PRESSURE
United States
Strategic Petroleum Reserve-Management.
Strategic petroleum reserve.
Vapor pressure.