CAVERN PRESSURE MANAGEMENT
A cavern pressure control method includes storing compressible and possibly incompressible fluids in an underground storage volume, removing a portion or introducing additional incompressible fluid into the underground storage volume, possibly removing a portion or introducing additional compressible fluid into the underground storage volume, thereby producing a net pressure increase rate (P inc ) within the underground storage volume, wherein P inc is maintained at less than a predetermined maximum increase value (PI max ).
1 . A method of pressure management in an underground storage volume, comprising:
storing a compressible fluid in an underground storage volume,
storing an incompressible fluid in said underground storage volume,
and introducing additional compressible fluid into said underground storage volume, thereby producing a net pressure increase rate (P inc ) within said underground storage volume,
wherein P inc is maintained at less than a predetermined maximum increase value (PI max ), wherein PI max is 100 psi/hr, wherein said compressible fluid is hydrogen.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said underground storage volume is an underground salt cavern.
3 - 4 . (canceled)
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said incompressible fluid is selected from the group consisting of brine, water, or water slurry.
6 . (canceled)
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein PI max is 75 psi/hr.
8 . A method of pressure management in an underground storage volume, comprising:
storing a compressible fluid in an underground storage volume,
storing an incompressible fluid in said underground storage volume, and
introducing additional incompressible fluid into said underground storage volume, producing a net pressure increase rate (P inc ) within said underground storage volume,
wherein P inc is maintained at less than a predetermined maximum increase value (PI max ), wherein PI max is 100 psi/hr, wherein said compressible fluid is hydrogen.
9 . A method of pressure management in an underground storage volume, comprising:
storing a compressible fluid in an underground storage volume,
storing an incompressible fluid in said underground storage volume, and
introducing additional compressible fluid into said underground storage volume, and concurrently, removing a portion of said incompressible fluid from said underground storage volume, thereby producing a net pressure increase rate (P inc ) within said underground storage volume,
wherein P inc is maintained at less than a predetermined maximum increase value (PI max ), wherein PI max is 100 psi/hr, wherein said compressible fluid is hydrogen.
10 . A method of pressure management in an underground storage volume, comprising:
storing a compressible fluid in an underground storage volume,
storing an incompressible fluid in said underground storage volume, and
removing a portion of said compressible fluid from said underground storage volume, and concurrently, introducing additional incompressible fluid into said underground storage volume, producing a net pressure increase rate (P inc ) within said underground storage volume,
wherein P inc is maintained at less than a predetermined maximum increase value (PI max ), wherein PI max is 100 psi/hr, wherein said compressible fluid is hydrogen.