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What risks do California’s underground gas storage facilities pose to health, safety, environment, and infrastructure?

Abstract: The general purpose of underground gas storage (UGS) is to meet varying demand for natural gas (predominantly methane) over daily to seasonal time scales. The California UGS system in 2017 comprises 12 UGS facilities, four in southern California, seven in northern California, and one in central California with a total capacity to store just under 400 Bcf of natural gas. The California UGS reservoirs are all depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs where natural gas is under high pressure (e.g., > 1000 psi (~ 7 MPa) for most facilities). The handling and containment of high-pressure natural gas, which is highly flammable and explosive, entails risk.