Update on Salt Cavern Storage in Ontario

Presented by Terry Carter (Geologic Consultant, Carter Geologic) and Ben Barnes (Double B Well Services)
Presentation authors: Jug Manocha, Terry Carter, and Ben Barnes
Presented at EPEX 2023: OPI's 60th Conference and Trade Show - June 1st, 2023, Best Western Lamplighter Inn and Conference Centre
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Ontario has a large amount of bedded salt deposits that are suitable for storage cavern development. There are 71 operational salt solution mined storage caverns in Ontario with a combined storage capacity of approximately 3.4 million m3 (22 million barrels) for hydrocarbon storage. These are typically storing petrochemicals and liquified petroleum gases at high pressures. One salt cavern is being used for compressed air energy storage (CAES) since 2019.
The geology is well suited for further storage cavern development. The salt deposits in Ontario occur principally along the western edge of the southwestern region, and are utilized in the Windsor, Sarnia, and Goderich areas. Salt occurs within four of the Salina units in Ontario; the A-2, B, D, and F units, at depths ranging from 300 to 720 meters (984 to 2,362 ft.) below the surface. This coincides with the eastern edge of the Michigan Basin and is an extension of the Michigan salt deposits. The total combined salt thickness in these four units exceeds 215 meters (705 ft.) in the Sarnia area.
All of Ontario storage caverns are constructed within salt strata of the Salina A-2 Unit and the B Unit. Solution mining of salt is presently occurring in Windsor and Goderich. The hydrocarbon storage caverns are operating in Windsor and Sarnia areas. The CAES storage cavern is in Goderich.
The caverns are operated and maintained in accordance with Canadian Standards Association Standard Z341 Storage of Hydrocarbons in Underground Formations. New provincial regulations and standards for Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) in solution-mined salt caverns have been recently adopted. And given the inconsistencies of green energy sources such as wind and solar, there is potential to further develop storage caverns to take advantage of the storage caverns for CAES and for hydrogen storage initiatives.
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Ontario Petroleum Institute
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With Thanks to:
Jug Manocha (author)
Terry Carter (co-author and presenter)
Ben Barnes (co-author and presenter)
Matt Dupont (video editor)
Ben “DJ Benane” Somers (original soundtrack)