Active and Recently Completed Research Projects

The ongoing Research Projects were updated during the Spring 2024 Krakow Meeting and summaries were briefly presented at the Business Meeting.

(Completed) RR2023-3 (RFP2021-1):  Creep behavior under small deviatoric stress

  • Project Team: Institut für Gebirgsmechanik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Abteilung Unterirdisches Bauen, Chris Spiers (private consultant), GeoStructures Consultancy
  • Report received after Fall 2023 San Antonio Meeting
  • Oral Report presented at the S2024 Krakow Conference
  • Scope:
    • Review of existing studies (creep mechanisms, influence of microstructures, creep tests on rock salt)
    • Modelling of creep at low stress (review of constitutive models, benchmark simulation)
    • Recommendation for lab test program

U2021-2: “Predictive tool (and predictions) for critical velocity for Configurations (iii) and (iv) without centralizers, Phase V (McGill)”

  • Project Team: McGill University, Project Owner: Prof. Michael Paidoussis
  • Project Sponsors: Joe Ratigan and Sophie Minas
  • Experimental Stabilization of Brine Strings
  • Executable file for the calculation of the critical flow velocities is expected July 2024

Learned through phases I and IV: Both flutter and buckling can occur in brine strings. Annular flow is of paramount importance in brine string deformation (in both configurations, iii and iv). Recommended new well completion techniques:

  1. Stiff centralizers to mitigate annular flow impacts,
  2. Increased tubing diameter in the cavern depth interval to increase deformation stiffness,
    1. Radial flow at the tubing exit to allow for increased brine injection velocities.

U2023-1: Continued Monitoring of Strain Measurements at Cavern Stassfurt BS13 as continuation to Research Project U2018-3

  • Project Team: ESK GmbH 
  • Full Set of Operational Data available
  • Next Measurement scheduled for March 2025
  • Scope: Continuation of project U2018-3 with annual Measurements

P2023-1-1 Proposal in reply to SMRI RFP 2023-1 “Deep or tall cavern abandonment testing and analysis"

  • Project Team: DEEP.KBB, WEP, Frisia

  • Scope: Pre-abandonment Field Data, Abandonment Field Tests and Evaluation of Results for FRISIA Caverns
    o Duration: 3 years
    o Anticipated start of testing in Q1/2025

RFP2023-1-2 Proposal in reply to SMRI RFP 2023-1 "Deep or tall cavern abandonment testing and analysis"

  • Project Team: Nobian, Brouard Consulting, TU Delft
  • Scope/Objective:
    o Scope: Deep or Tall Cavern Abandonment Testing and Analysis
    o Duration: 4 years

U2023-4 (CfP2023-1) "Implement Fiber Optic Technology for Underground Gas Storage Well Monitoring" PHMSA Proposal with PRCI.

  • Approved for funding by PHMSA on September 25, 2023
  • Funded through EFI
  • Will need to establish team members to participate with PRCI
  • Duration: 2 years
  • Dirk Zapf (University of Hanover, Germany) as member of the review board
  • GESO (Germany, SMRI member) as project advisor (pending approval of U2024-1)