Underground Storage of Liquid Hydrocarbons in Indiana

Abstract

Underground storage of petroleum, and particularly of liquid petroleum products, is relatively new and is growing rapidly in favor. The increased use of this method is caused, in part, by economic factors such as cheaper cost per barrel of storage space and the need for ever-increasing stocks of stored products required by the rising consumption of petroleum fuels. Underground storage also affords protection from fire, explosion, and other destructive forces that may result from war or accident. The purpose of this report is to furnish general information on the distribution of favorable areas for underground storage in Indiana. A company that is seeking a favorable site should make a general survey of the entire area that is acceptable geographically. This survey should cover regional stratigraphy and lithology of the bedrock to the maximum depth at which storage is considered feasible, glacial geology, ground-water conditions, and local structural conditions. After a generally favorable area has been selected, a detailed exploration program will be necessary in order to select the exact site for the underground reservoir, Such exploration must include core drilling and should also include such studies as clay mineralogy and detailed petrology. Further information on glacial geology, ground water, and structural conditions can also be obtained at this stage by test drilling.