Author(s)

Yanan Zhao ^1,2

Affiliation(s)

¹ Power China, Zhongnan Engineering Corporation Limited, Changsha, 410014, Hunan, China
² Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Key Technology on Hydropower Development, Changsha, 410014, Hunan Province, China

Corresponding Author

Yanan Zhao

ABSTRACT

Underground water-sealed caverns are core facilities for China's strategic petroleum reserves. The accuracy of leak anomaly location directly determines operational safety and economic efficiency. To address the hidden leakage paths and inaccurate positioning using single monitoring methods in granite caverns with developed fractures in cold regions, this paper proposes an anomaly location method that integrates three-dimensional fracture seepage simulation, hydrochemical analysis, and on-site seepage pressure monitoring. Firstly, based on the engineering geological data of a certain petroleum water sealed cavern (including 14 main caverns and 7 water curtain tunnels), a three-dimensional fracture network seepage model is constructed using COMSOL and FLAC3D, which takes into account the "bias flow effect" and time-varying fracture aperture. The permeability coefficient of each rock layer is inverted (1.00×10⁻³m/d for slightly weathered rock and 1.30×10⁻³m/d for moderately weathered rock). Secondly, multi-dimensional anomaly identification indicators are established for the seepage field (water level drawdown, water yield deviation), hydrochemistry (Piper plot clustering), and seepage pressure monitoring (vault pore pressure distribution). Finally, anomaly location is achieved through the "model verification - indicator screening - field verification" process. The experimental results show that in the water curtain hole D5 area, three inspection holes (J7-J9) are arranged around the D5 hole. The average Lu Rong value is 2.12Lu before grouting and drops to 0.68Lu after grouting. The reduction rate η is 67.9%, which is greater than 60%. The risk of water curtain backseepage is eliminated.

KEYWORDS

Seepage Simulation; Fracture Network Model; Anomaly Location; Water Chemistry Analysis

CITE THIS PAPER

Yanan Zhao, Abnormal Location Method of Underground Petroleum Storage Cavern Based on Seepage Simulation. Journal of Civil Engineering and Urban Planning (2025) Vol. 7: 41-50. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/jceup.2025.070307.

REFERENCES

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