NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF CAVERN SHAPE DEVELOPMENT DURING PRODUCT WITHDRAWAL WITH FRESH WATER-THEORY AND CASE STUDY

摘要

Salt caverns are frequently used for storing large quantities of liquid hydrocarbons. If these products are withdrawn by unsaturated brine or fresh water, the size and shape of the cavern will change: These changes are sometimes significant, particularly if several turnovers have been performed. Most of the computer programs for modelling leaching processes are not able to simulate these changes as they do not cope with moving blanket/product levels. The computer program PROSACAV 4.0 however allows for simulation of leaching processes with gradually changing blanket levels and therefore product injection and withdrawal processes. This paper will compare the results obtained by the computer code with an analytical solution for re-leaching processes in a cylindrical cavern. Following PROSACAV 4.0 is applied to simulate the cavern shape and size development of a cavern with unfavourable starting contour by multiple product turnovers with fresh water and in combination with regular leaching operations.