Storage

Natural gas is extracted continuously throughout the year, while its consumption depends on the time of day and the season.

On a winter day, gas consumption can be up to 8 times higher than on a summer day. Fluctuations within a single day are also significant.

 

LRC Natural Gas Storage Project

LRC (Lined Rock Cavern) Natural Gas Storage Project

 

Storage allows energy to be held in reserve for later use; excess gas received in the summer is put in reserve to be available in the winter, during cold periods.

For seasonal storage, underground geological structures are often used. Their watertight cavities, emptied of water or salt, are used to store the injected natural gas. Another variant is to create an artificial rock cavity.

 

Underground natural gas storage - Cavern

 Underground natural gas storage - Cavern

 

Gaznat has salt cavern storage capacity in Etrez, in the Bourg-en-Bresse region (France).

The storage capacities are a strategic asset for the company; they enable Gaznat to cover approximately one third of its peak consumption during the winter period.

Direct access to storage helps to ensure optimal security of supply.

It is also possible to ensure seasonal storage with liquefied natural gas tanks.

In order to reduce daily or weekly consumption peaks, piped storage in the form of underground pipes is generally used.