Methodological Aspects of Studying the Aggressiveness of Reservoir Media and the Conditions of Underground Gas Storage Facilities in Relation to Well Equipment and Pipelines

Gas injected or withdrawn from underground gas storage facilities may contain carbon dioxide or hydrogen sulfide, which are corrosive to steel objects. However, until recently, virtually no attention was paid to the danger of internal corrosion in underground gas storage facilities. There have been no targeted studies on the durability of such steel objects that would take into account the peculiarities of their operation. Due to the fact that an important aspect for obtaining reliable data is the correct choice of research methods, methodological approaches have been developed and applied to study the main aggressive factors by analyzing operational parameters in underground gas storage facilities. The main task was to test methods for studying the durability of material design and the composition of sediments formed as a result of exposure of steel equipment and pipelines to corrosive gas components. Further comparison of the obtained data with operational characteristics made it possible to determine the mechanisms of destruction of steel objects in underground gas storage facilities. The study and processing of basic operating conditions (temperature, pressure, hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide content), analysis of precipitations using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, and metallographic studies of steel were carried out. The methodological approaches proposed by Gazprom VNIIGAZ LLC make it possible to objectively assess the dynamics of changes over time in temperature, pressure and content of hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide, followed by the determination of the partial pressures of these gases and a preliminary assessment of the potential corrosivity of environments in underground gas storage facilities. Analysis of pipe or equipment materials makes it possible to determine the degree of influence of microstructure features on the general or local course of corrosion. Studying the morphology of sediments allows us to trace the development of internal corrosion processes. A set of studies carried out by Gazprom VNIIGAZ LLC makes it possible to develop and select the necessary measures to reduce the risk of internal corrosion of steel gas pipelines and equipment of underground gas storage facilities.

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