A new evaluation method for site selection of large underground water-sealed petroleum storage depots

Abstract

Scientific site selection is the first step in constructing underground water-sealed petroleum storage depots, but no uniform standard and code for such activity has been established. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to propose an evaluation method for the site selection of an underground water-sealed petroleum storage depot. The first large underground water-sealed petroleum storage depot being built in China served as the background of this study. The following 12 indexes were used as evaluation factors based on comprehensive evaluation criteria and specifications for key project site selection: geographic structure development feature, topographic feature, lithostratic formation feature, crustal stress, strength of rock mass, joint development feature, hydrogeological conditions, long-term water sealing conditions, environmental/ecological vulnerability, regional stability, technical and economic conditions, and meteorological and hydrological conditions. The weight back analysis and power coefficient methods were also used to evaluate the site selected for the first underground water-sealed petroleum storage depot project. Petroleum site classification models based on the two aforementioned methods were established and used to verify the feasibility of the evaluation criteria and methods, and the evaluation results show the grade of the site selected for the underground water-sealed petroleum storage depot in Huangdao, China is good. The study results may be used as a reference for the site selection of future underground water-sealed petroleum storage depots.