Cedigaz: Worldwide gas storage capacity up 5%

Oct. 20, 2014
Worldwide working gas capacity totaled 399 billion cu m (bcm) on Jan. 1, representing 5% growth over the previous year, according to Cedigaz's latest Worlwide Underground Gas Storage (UGS) database.

Worldwide working gas capacity totaled 399 billion cu m (bcm) on Jan. 1, representing 5% growth over the previous year, according to Cedigaz's latest Worlwide Underground Gas Storage (UGS) database.

Salt caverns were the fastest growing segment of the market, expanding 10% in 2013 and representing 33% of the planned projects backlog in terms of capacity, Cedigaz indicates. Overall, salt caverns represented 8% of working gas capacities worldwide and 26% of daily withdrawal capacity.

Working gas capacity increased in 2013 in all UGS markets, but spiked the most in the Middle East, which was up 375%. Cedigaz attributes the growth to the commissioning of the Shourijeh storage in Iran-the region's only country with underground gas storage-raising the country's capacity to just more than 6 bcm.

Asian capacity was up 15% as new facilities came online in China. The more mature markets of North America, Europe, and the CIS saw capacities increasing 3-4%, stimulated by fast cycle storage with salt cavern capacities up 17% in the CIS, 13% in Europe, and 7% in North America.

New facilities being built and ongoing expansion at existing facilities add up to 44 bcm, 50% of which are in Europe. Cedigaz also has identified 94 bcm of projects at different stages of planning, including 55 bcm in Europe.

Relative to their share in existing facilities, 8% of working gas capacities, salt caverns are overrepresented in new projects, representing 33% of potential new capacities. This illustrates the growing need for short-term flexibility, Cedigaz says.

Cedigraz previously said it expected global storage capacity to increase from 377 billion bcm at the beginning of 2013 to 557-631 bcm by 2030 (OGJ Online, July 22, 2013).

Earlier this year, Cedigaz reported that global gas consumption increased by just 1.3% in 2013, down from an average of 2.8%/year in the previous decade, as production growth slowed to 0.8% (OGJ Online, May 6, 2014).