The objective of this research is to investigate the development and growth of fractures during the abandonment of salt caverns.
In the recent reports of KEM and others abandoning of salt caverns was modelled including permeation and hydraulic fracturing. Even though the likelihood of the formation of fractures during abandonment of salt caverns is thought to be small, it cannot be ruled out. A runaway fracture leading to leakage of brine above the salt rock is a potential risk to the environment. As such a need arises to develop coupled codes to assess the formation of hydraulic fracturing, with or without a permeation/micro-fracturing/dilatancy processes, the potential growth of a hydraulic fracture and the cessation/healing of a hydraulic fracture.
The project will comprise the following main activities: A1. Combining numerical modelling of salt cavern abandonment with knowledge on fracture mechanics to get more insight into fracture mechanics in salt during salt cavern abandonment. A2. A sensitivity analysis on the initiation and growth of hydraulic fractures in salt A3. An analysis on the role of hydraulic fracturing and permeation in salt domes after salt cavern abandonment A4. An analysis on the effect of healing in salt and A5. Reporting.
Based on the above activities the following research questions will be focused on the initiation of the hydraulic fracture, on the propagation of the hydraulic fracture in salt and the healing of fractures.
The research is commissioned to the CCC consortium and Cothymes and started in the first quarter of 2026.