Gas storage history in Poland
The history of underground natural gas storage in Poland started in 1954 in partially depleted gas deposit Roztoki located near Jasło.UGS Roztoki was the first underground gas storage facility in Poland and one of the first in Europe.
The rapid development of UGS in Poland started in 1979. That was the time when operation of UGS Brzeźnica and UGS Swarzów was initiated. Subsequently, the operation process included the following facilities: UGS Strachocina, UGS Husów UGS Wierzchowice, CUGS Mogilno and CUGS Kosakowo.
The years when individual underground gas storage facilities in Poland were being included in the operation are shown below.1954 | gas storage in a depleted gas deposit Roztoki near Jasło, UGS operation in the years 1954-1963 and 1976-1980 |
1979 | UGS Brzeźnica, gas injection commenced in June |
1979 | UGS Swarzów, gas injection commenced in July |
1982 | UGS Strachocina, gas injection commenced in May |
1987 | UGS Husów, gas injection commenced in October |
1995 | UGS Wierzchowice, gas injection commenced in May |
1997 | CUGS Mogilno |
2013 | CUGS Kosakowo |
UGS Roztoki - first industrial attempts to store gas in partially depleted natural gas field in Europe
UGS Roztoki was located in what currently is the Podkarpackie voivodeship in the Jasło region. Geographically, the area is located in the valley of the Jasiółka river within the area of Jasielsko-Krośnieńska Valey, being a part of Pogórze Środkowobeskidzkie.
Information about the deposit
The deposit of high-methane natural gas and crude oil Roztoki-Sądkowa was discovered in 1922. The original recoverable reserves were documented in the volume of 692 million cubic meters of gas.
The operation of the deposit began in 1931 and lasted continuously until 1954. Then due to the decision to build the UGS facility, the gas production was stopped and the process of gas storage began. The degree of exhaustion of the primary recoverable reserves in 1954 amounted to approximately 92%.
The oil and gas deposit at the Roztoki – Sądkowa block, which was used for storage, developed within the Potok fold in the formations of the Silesian nappe. The bed level is the second horizon of Eocene Ciezkowice Sandstone. There is a zone of gas and oil in the bed. They are supported from the floor by not very active reservoir water of surrounding and underlying character. Storage level is insulated from the top and bottom by the layers of Hieroglyphic and variegated shales.
Basic parameters of the storage horizon:
Average effective thickness of reservoir rock [m] | 60-80 |
Average geophysical porosity of reservoir rock [%] | 14 |
Average geophysical permeability of reservoir rock [mD] | 55 |
Original static bottom-hole pressure in the reservoir horizon [MPa] | 11,38 |
Depth of the reservoir horizon top [m] | 1100-1300 |
Information on the Storage facility:
The start year of UGS operation | 1954 |
The end year of UGS operation | 1980 |
Working volume [million m3] | 35,50 |
Static wellhead pressure [MPa] | 1,27-2,95 |
Gas Injection to and Withdrawal from a UGS Facility

Gas injection from the transmission pipeline to the UGS facility
The injection of gas to the storage facility takes place as follows: gas from transmission pipeline (9) flows through strainers (8) which capture any solid or liquid impurities, and then passes to the custody transfer section (7). After the measurements are taken, the natural gas stream flows to the gas compressor station (5). After compression, the gas is transported to coolers (6) in order to be cooled down. After the cooling, the gas is sent to the gas distribution station (3). From the distribution station the gas flows to individual wells (2) through which it is injected to the storage reservoir or the cavern (1).
Gas withdrawal from the UGS to the transmission pipeline
During the withdrawal gas from individual wells (2) is fed to the gas distribution station (3), and then to the gas dehydration installation (4). After the dehydration, the gas stream flows to the gas compressor station (5). Following the compression, the gas is passed through gas coolers (6) to the custody transfer section (7). Once the measurements are taken, the gas is delivered to the transmission pipeline (9).
Gas injection from the transmission pipeline to the UGS in a non-compressor system
The injection of gas to the storage facility takes place as follows: gas from transmission pipeline (9) flows through strainers (8) which capture any solid or liquid impurities, and then passes to the custody transfer section (7). Once the necessary measurements are taken, natural gas flows to the gas distribution station (3) and then it flows to individual wells (2) through which it is inject to the storage reservoir or a cavern (1).
Gas withdrawal from the UGS to the transmission pipeline in a non-compressor system
During the withdrawal gas from individual wells (2) is fed to the gas distribution station (3), and then to the gas dehydration installation (4). From this point, the gas is sent to the custody transfer section (7). Once the measurements are taken, the gas is delivered to the transmission pipeline (9).
Examples of Well Schamatics and Core Pictures
Core - a cylinder-shaped piece of rock obtained as a result of drilling through rock formation by the means of a coring bit. Cores are taken from boreholes during engineering geology studies with a view to understanding the geology of the area. They enable, among other things, accurate determination of the rock types and dip.
Samples of cores collected during the drilling of production wells in the underground gas storage facility:




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