The document provides an overview of an underground gas storage course. The 5-day course covers technical, regulatory, and commercial aspects of underground gas storage through lectures, discussions, and a case study. Participants will learn about new storage technologies and opportunities, different storage facility types, planning and cost analysis, and perspectives of various stakeholders in liberalized gas markets. The goal is to help professionals optimize underground gas storage and incorporate it effectively into flexible gas supply strategies. The course is taught by gas industry and academic experts and results in a certificate from the University of Groningen.

1. UndergroUnd gas stor age
new technologies in a new m ark et
A comprehensive view of underground gas storage
for technical and commercial professionals.
Founding partners Associated partners

2. UndergroUnd gas stor age
new technologies in a new m ark et
…with the leading partners in the global energy industry
The gas industry has to be able to match the supply of natural gas to the demand. Storage facilities are indispensable.
Traditionally, gas was stored during the summer period and the entire volume was withdrawn in winter for both peak
demand and as a partial substitute for long-haul pipeline capacity. But times are changing, also for gas storage.
single-cycle operations are being replaced Upon completion of the Ugsc, The programme set-up
by multi-cycle operations, mainly driven by the participant will: the Ugsc is a 5-day course, and consists of
commercial opportunities arising from market • Understand and be able to compare the lectures, discussions, dialogues and practical
liberalization. as a result, storage is set up in a technical lay-out and capabilities of the assignments with two main focuses:
completely different way. But there is more to different kinds of storage facilities • the technical and planning aspects of
it. there are many new technological develop- (state-of-the-art technology). underground storage.
ments in the e&P sector, especially with regard • Be capable of making an assessment of the • commercial market-related topics and issues,
to underground gas storage. state-of-the-art storage facility that provides the best i.e. regulatory regimes, tariffs, valuation,
technology in gas wells enables multi-cycle performance for a specific market demand. viewpoints from and practical experience
operations and high-production wells can • know how to analyze costs of storage facilities of both Ugs operators and users.
strongly increase the deliverability from the and develop tariffs for storage services, based
underground storage facility. on those costs. Case study
• have an improved insight into the planning the lectures will be supported by a case study
Why the Underground constraints and environmental and safety which covers the main elements of the learning
Gas Storage Course? issues related to the implementation of an material provided during the course. this case
the Underground gas storage course (Ugsc) underground gas storage plant. study will integrate the technical, regulatory
was set up to help participants stay on top of • Better understand the positions of various and commercial aspects of underground gas
the rapidly changing environment and make stakeholders (regulators, consumers, transport- storage. the participant will have to determine
the most of underground gas storage. it offers a ation companies, storage providers), involved the required Ugs functionality on the basis
comprehensive and in-depth view of new tech- in storage services in liberalized markets. of various supply and demand data. Using the
nologies, new developments, new challenges properties and the costs of the various compo-
and new opportunities in this new market. the Ugsc will not only give you the perfect nents he or she will have to specify the best f lex-
Basically, the course will take the participants opportunity to visit one of the world’s largest ibility tools to meet the required functionality.
on a tour from the gas reservoir or salt cavern, Ugs schemes from close-by, but also to Finally participants will be asked to make cost
through surface facilities, via the trading place exchange experiences with staff in charge assessments of storage facilities as part of
to the customers in the market. of the daily operations of these facilities. designing tariffs for the services and present
their views on the marketing options. the case
More specifically... Your profile will be concluded with a presentation for a
the Ugsc is intended for managers and You are working in the gas business and have an forum of top experts from the gas industry.
professionals in the energy business who want academic level of working and thinking. You
to enhance their knowledge on how to develop are aware of the role that underground storages The teaching partners
and operate gas storage facilities in the best play in the supply & demand balance of gas the key lecturer in this course is the
possible way and how to incorporate such markets and you are interested in approaching international underground gas storage expert,
facilities successfully as f lexible tools in the the subject of underground storage not just mr hans Plaat, a former shell executive.
gas markets of tomorrow. from a technical but also from an economic to guarantee both high quality and a varied
perspective. also, you have a working programme, he will be supported by lecturers
knowledge of both business and technical from a carefully selected group of gas companies
english. having a team spirit also helps. who are directly involved in underground
storage, and by lecturers from the academic
Certification network, governmental bodies and prestigious
Upon completion of the course the participant consulting firms, including centrica, logica
will receive a certificate from the University of cmg, shell, the University of groningen
groningen. (energy law).

3. Sharing the Energy of Knowledge.
”...it is gratifying to
see how inspired
and enthusiastic
participants are...”
Hans Plaat, key lecturer
the programme in more detail
DAY 1 DAY 2
Introduction to underground storage Guidelines for Good TPA Practice for • Construction: solution mining, drilling
• The purpose of gas storage Storage System Operators (GGPSSO) & completion and first gas fill
• Different types of storage facilities and • W hat are the GGPSSO? • New developments in cavern
other flexibility tools: their specific • Do’s and don’ts for operators engineering and gas cavern use
characteristics and key issues
• O verview of existing and planned storage TPA for UGS from an operator’s Gas storage: A user’s view
facilities around the world point of view • Real-life examples of TPA from a large
• The impact of market opening on the • R eal life examples of TPA from a large UGS user
design and operation of storage facilities UGS operator
• The operator’s view on TPA and the DAY 4
Gas fields, wells & pore storages G GPSSO Third party access to gas storage in
What does pore storage imply and what are practice - daily operations
the key issues in designing and planning Valuation of Storage • Modelling of the business process and
the development and the operation of • Methods to determine the value of infrastructure to support market
storages in porous reservoirs? storage in a liberalized market operations
• Description of gas fields and important • Registration and management of
aspects for storage Key design parameters in the selection customer capacity and nominations
• Gas field development and surface facilities of underground • Receipt and storage of site metering data
• Well design and construction gas storage
• Specific requirements for storage wells • Injection facilities: compressor and Visit to a major UGS facility
• Specific UGS requirements for aquifers, driver selection and constraints
gas and oil fields • Production facilities: gas composition DAY 5
and sales specification Legal Aspects of Gas Storages
Market demand and major factors in • Automation and organization of • Applicable legislation
determining storage needs UGS facilities • Licensing
• Main traditional storage purposes • Planning constraints and environmental • Third party access and the
• Planning of underground storages in issues regulatory framework
a given market • Country comparison
DAY 3
Performance calculations of an UGS Cavern storage: the process of salt Comparison of UGS tariffs
• Main parameters inf luencing cavern developments and major • Methodology
UGS performance issues for design and operations • Benchmarking international tariffs
• Critical design points • Basic concept of using salt caverns
• Deliverability and injectability curves for gas storage Presentation of case work to a panel
• Properties of rock salt of international experts
• Rock mechanical aspects of salt caverns

4. Sharing the Energy of Knowledge.
“In the oil and gas world, underground gas “We had a very mixed group in our class
storage shows the highest degree of interaction – primarily people who were directly involved
between technology and commerce. We set out in the business of gas storage in one way or
to develop a course that reflects this. The course another. Being a testing engineer myself, it was
will give people with a technical background very interesting to look at my own position in
a good insight into the commercial aspects, the business and process chain from different
while people with a commercial background perspectives. Having to concentrate on the
will obtain a high level understanding of the technical aspects many commercial aspects of underground gas storage, for
of underground storage. I believe that the best way of learning instance, was relatively new to me. But also fascinating.
is doing things yourself, so we incorporated a good number of And it has certainly given me a broader understanding. The
practical exercises in the schedule. The case study has proven knowledge I acquired at the course is still very helpful when I
to be very effective as well. Generally, participants also enjoy it need to calculate and prepare proposals for gas storage. But
tremendously. It is quite gratifying when you see how inspired what I appreciated best of all was the interaction between
and enthusiastic participants are when they leave the classes, the participants... the open exchange of knowledge and
and when you notice that your efforts have paid off. When I information, particularly during the case study and outside
meet participants later, at different occasions, I regularly hear: classes. To me, the people I met at the course were very valuable
”Best course I ever attended” or “I should have attended it contacts. The exchanges really added to my professional
sooner because now I actually understand what my engineers knowledge. I am still in contact with several of my fellow
are talking about”. A while ago I had a sceptical student whose participants. Basically, the course offered an open horizon.”
manager had sent him to the course. He had more than 20 years
Reinder van der Wall
of experience in the field and claimed he knew everything there
Project Manager & Testing Engineer,
is to know about underground gas storage. Halfway the course,
Golder Associates, Germany
however, he walked up to me with a broad smile and his thumbs
up and stated that he had learned more than he could have ever
imagined. It gave me a smile, too.”
Hans Plaat, key lecturer
Independent consultant for Reservoir
Engineering and Underground Gas Storage
About Energy Delta Institute
energy delta institute (edi) is an international energy business school, with a primary focus on natural gas. edi was founded
in 2003 by n.V. nederlandse gasunie, gasterra B.V., oao gazprom and the University of groningen, later joined by shell
and rwe. The energy community has come to appreciate edi both as a platform of knowledge exchange between partners
and participants alike. The changing energy world is forcing energy companies to innovate in order to stay competitive.
in addition, the energy sector is confronting the possibility of a growing shortage of qualified personnel in the coming decades.
The sector has only one choice: to invest in knowledge. T +31 (0) 50 524 83 00
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edi’s main objective is to contribute to the professional development of current and future energy managers. edi coordinates
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research projects and organises training programmes with a focus on the economic, management, legal and geopolitical
aspects of the energy business. I www.energydelta.org