Development of Improved Technologies and Techniques for Reducing Base Gas Requirements in Underground Natural Gas Storage Facilities. Annual Report. April 1986-August 1987

摘要

The project investigates the feasibility of inert gas injection concept for reduction in base gas requirements. A three-dimensional, two phase flow numerical code was developed to simulate a natural gas storage field to determine mixing of the natural gas with an inert gas. The code is applicable for a dry gas storage field as well as an aquifer storage field. The inert gas mixing simulations indicated excellent retention of inert gas in the field. The rate and duration of the Injection/Withdrawal cycle (i.e., the amount of gas withdrawn in a single cycle) was found to be the most dominating factor in determining the concentration profiles and the rate of loss of inert gas. The experimental studies, conducted at North Carolina State University facilities, indicated the overall gas phase dispersion coefficient to be of the same order as molecular diffusion. The numerical predictions were compared successfully against controlled experimental data on mixing between two gases in a porous medium.