New Trend and Development Suggestions for Change of Underground Gas Storage Sites in China

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the huge peak shaving gap and resource degradation of underground gas storage (UGS) in China have formed a sharp contrast. UGS construction faces challenges, such as a lack of storage site resources and upgrading of technical difficulties. Therefore, through systematical research and analysis of the types and characteristics of global UGS, new change trends in Chinese UGS sites were proposed, and development strategies for UGS construction from the perspectives of new modes, theoretical technologies, and supporting policies were explored. In response to the characteristics of separation between natural gas resources and markets in China, the coexistence of multiple peak shaving methods, and regional differences in UGS types, an overall layout and digital development direction for UGS construction were proposed. Chinese UGS sites present four new trends, namely diversification, large scale, complexity, and digitalization. The new mode of “three zones” in large-scale low-permeability lithological gas reservoirs and collaborative construction of oil reservoir gas drive and UGS can activate a batch of site resources and greatly improve peak shaving capacity. New technologies such as dynamic sealing evaluation of gas storage geological bodies, seepage mechanism and storage design of high-speed interactive injection and production, and new technology for complex salt cavity building and space utilization improvements, can significantly improve operational efficiency and reduce safety risks. The research results provide scientific support for fully excavating site resources and guiding the efficient design of complex UGS.