Abstract
Underground natural gas storage (UGS) serves as an environmentally sustainable remedy for mitigating regional and temporal disparities in energy supply and demand. The phenomenon of substantial well interference and non-uniform pressure distributions in UGS, resulting from high injection and withdrawal rates, requires a comprehensive examination. This study presents an analytical model aimed at investigating the ramifications of well interference on transient pressure dynamics during UGS. Employing the Laplace transform method, an analytical framework for diverse wells within UGS is derived, with well interference effects being effectively incorporated through the application of the superposition principle. To validate the proposed analytical solutions under various scenarios, a commercial numerical simulator is employed. The analysis reveals that when an adjacent well is engaged in gas withdrawal, interference induces an initial rise in pressure derivative followed by a subsequent plateau. Conversely, during gas injection into an adjacent well, the pressure derivative curve exhibits a continuous decline, akin to situations characterized by constant pressure boundaries. Notably, the likelihood of interference with a target well is more pronounced when gas injection or production occurs in a vertical well as opposed to a horizontal one. Preliminary data from the Hutubi UGS in China, one of the largest projects of its kind, indicate cumulative gas injection and withdrawal volumes of 155.43 × 108 m3 and 130.81 × 108 m3, respectively, with a maximum storage capacity of 107 × 108 m3. Ultimately, the gas storage volume reaches 93.50% of the UGS's designated capacity. This substantial quantity of stored natural gas equates to the calorific value of 9.88 × 109 kg of crude oil or 1.29 × 1010 kg of coal. In comparison to conventional fossil fuels such as oil and coal, the utilization of natural gas in the Hutubi UGS results in a significant reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, amounting to 1.04 × 1010 kg and 1.38 × 1010 kg, respectively. This contribution advances the field by proposing an analytical model for the systematic analysis of well interference on pressure dynamics within the Hutubi UGS, thereby facilitating the transition from oil and coal to natural gas, a crucial step in the pursuit of cleaner and more sustainable energy production practises.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call