Underground Storage Fact Sheet & FAQs
There are a number of naturally occurring salt formations in the Salt Springs area. Corridor is exploring the salt deposits found in this area to see if they are suitable for underground storage cavern development.
Additional exploration work, such as seismic data acquisition and/or drilling a well or core hole to collect information on the geology of the area is required before suitability can be determined. Currently we do not know if we will proceed or how we will proceed with storage options.
Storage in underground salt caverns is one of the safest and most environmentally friendly ways to store natural gas and liquids (hydrocarbons). Underground storage has been used for about 90 years and underground storage in salt caverns for about 50-60 years. There are 60-70 storage facilities housing thousands of caverns worldwide. They are very economical in terms of land use, as multiple caverns can be located under a single surface storage facility.
One of salt's unique properties is that it is impermeable; making underground salt caverns an exceptionally safe form of hydrocarbon storage. Located at depths ranging from 500 to 2000 metres, hydrocarbons are separated from the oxygen by several hundred metres of rock, which helps naturally maintain the pressure required for safe storage, prevents fires underground, and also prevents wilful damage.
Underground salt storage caverns are constructed by drilling a well approximately 1 km below the earth's surface. Steel pipe is placed in the well and cemented to the rock formations. Fresh water is injected into the bottom of the cavern through the pipe, leaching out the salt. The brine (salt water) is then removed from the cavern to make room for storage.
- Underground Storage Fact Sheet & FAQs, February 25, 2009
- Underground Storage FAQ Update, March 20, 2009
