Anatomy of an automatic underground storage field

Accident Storage Field was acquired by Texas Eastern Transmission Corp. in 1962. At that time, it was a producing gas field with 18 wells more or less in operation and about 37.7 BNcf of reserves in place in formations that were to be used for storage service. From those starting points, Texas Eastern has developed Accident into the first, the largest, and the highest pressure completely automatic storage facility in the gas industry. To develop the storage facility, the owner has reworked the original 18 wells and drilled 35 additional wells. Other facilities that have been built are a compressor unit, dehydration plant, measurement and control station, and a pressure- reducing station--all designed for unattended control. Necessary field and yard piping have been installed as the station went into operation in 1965. Total reservoir capacity at Accident is an estimated 63.5 BNcf.