The European Union is committed to achieving a climate-neutral industry by 2050. While the development of new sustainable energy sources is crucial, alternative solutions must be considered to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The ConsenCUS project has been established to address this challenge by leveraging technological advancements in CO2 capture, conversion, and temporary storage.
Salt cavern utilization for temporary gas storage has been identified as a possible solution to meet seasonal energy demands. The low permeability and self-healing properties of salt make it an excellent candidate for underground storage. However, an in-depth understanding of the mechanical behavior of salt under these cyclic events is needed to determine its feasibility for temporary storage.
This study aims to simulate relevant cyclic storage conditions and provide constraints on the mechanical uncertainties related to temporary CO2 storage in salt caverns. To achieve this, we will conduct a comprehensive suite of mechanical tests on salt samples obtained from the Northwich Halite formation at the Winsford Mine, UK. The objectives of these tests are to 1) determine the peak failure strength of the salt samples through unconfined testing and 2) characterize the fatigue behavior of rock salt under in-situ cyclic loading conditions.
With these tests, we aim to provide much-needed constraints on the mechanical aspects of temporary CO2 storage in salt caverns. The findings from this study will contribute to our understanding of the long-term integrity and safety of salt caverns as a storage option.
