A generic model for predicting long-term behavior of storage salt caverns after their abandonment as an aid to risk assessment

This article provides quantitative information about the evolution of abandoned salt caverns (the value of the equilibrium pressure, the time before thermal equilibrium is achieved, the rate of brine expulsion from the cavern, the time before the cavern closes up) from numerical simulations based on the state of the art related to the phenomena that affect the cavern after it is abandoned. The model reveals the conditions under which an excessive increase in the brine pressure in the cavern may appear, which can lead to the walls of the cavern being damaged. It also provides a basis for recommendations that could help to control these risks.