| Abstract: | In Norway, approximately 10 large unlined cavern storage plants for crude and refined oil products currently are in operation, and two are under construction. A large number of small underground storage plants for refined oil products, consisting of steel tanks in rock caverns, also are in operation. The caverns are constructed in mostly good quality rock of the Precambrian or Cambro-Silurian age, and few stability problems have occured. Cavern spans up to 22 m and heights up to 40 m have been used. Bolting and shotcrete are partly used to increase rock mass stability. Norwegian experience indicates that for installations larger than roughly 50,000 m3, unlined rock caverns would be the most cost advantageous alternative. Other advantages are better environmental protection, better security with regard to fire and explosion hazard and sabotage, and lesser land requirements. |
