Stability of refined products and crude oil stored in large cavities in salt deposits: biogeochemical aspects

Large cavities in salt deposits have been used in a number of countries for stocking petroleum in strategic reserves and for operational storage. Stocks have included hydrocarbon gases, motor gasoline, home heating oil, jet fuel, and crude oil. Crude oil is not subject to deleterious changes in qual...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energy & fuels 1991-07, Vol.5 (4), p.602-608
Main Authors: Giles, Harry N, Koenig, J. W. Joachim, Neihof, Rex A, Shay, Johanna Y, Woodward, Paul W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
02 PETROLEUM
022000 - Petroleum- Transport, Handling, & Storage
AGING
ALKANES
API GRAVITY
BACTERIA
BIODEGRADATION
BRINES
BUTANE
CAVITIES
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COLLOIDS
DECOMPOSITION
DENSITY
DISPERSIONS
EMULSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL OILS
FUELS
GASOLINE
GEOTHERMAL GRADIENTS
HEATING OILS
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
HYDROCARBONS
JET ENGINE FUELS
LIQUID FUELS
MICROORGANISMS
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PROPANE
SALT CAVERNS
SEDIMENTS
SPECIFICATIONS
STABILITY
STORAGE
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
UNDERGROUND STORAGE
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Description
Summary:Large cavities in salt deposits have been used in a number of countries for stocking petroleum in strategic reserves and for operational storage. Stocks have included hydrocarbon gases, motor gasoline, home heating oil, jet fuel, and crude oil. Crude oil is not subject to deleterious changes in quality, although it does tend to deposit sludge during storage. No changes in quality of light hydrocarbons such as propane and butane have been reported. During storage in solution-mined cavities, gasoline and middle distillates can become contaminated with brine causing them to fail certain specification tests. Oxygen brought in with the water used to leach cavities can promote autoxidation resulting in formation of soluble or insoluble gum in some products. The walls of salt cavities are largely inert with respect to stored petroleum, and no reactions between them have been reported. Biodeterioration of petroleum is generally inhibited by the high salinity of the brine, but episodic bacterial activity could occur following injections of relatively fresh surface water resulting in catabolism of hydrocarbons, or production of hydrogen sulfide or methane. With careful planning and exercise of a few precautions, most quality problems encountered to date can be avoided. Petroleum stored in cavities in salt should not need to be rolled over as frequently to maintain its quality as it would if stored in aboveground tanks.
ISSN:0887-0624
1520-5029
DOI:10.1021/ef00028a012