Abstract:

The article provides a historical overview of the development of oil and gas storage technologies, from early primitive methods to modern integrated solutions. It examines the evolution of oil storage tanks—from earthen pits and wooden barrels to metal, reinforced concrete, and modern steel cylindrical structures, including the contribution of engineer V. G. Shukhov to their improvement. The main types of oil depots are described, along with their classification by purpose and functional zones, as well as the types of tanks used (vertical, horizontal, spherical) and their construction materials. Special attention is paid to the history of the creation and development of underground gas storage (UGS) facilities, starting from the world´s first storage facility in Canada (1915) and the first in the USSR—the Bashkatovskoye UGS (1958). Modern data on storage volumes, types of UGS (depleted fields, aquifers, salt caverns), their role in ensuring energy security, and smoothing seasonal demand fluctuations are presented. Current operational challenges of UGS are highlighted, including well productivity decline and infrastructure aging. The article is based on an analysis of domestic and international literature and may be useful for specialists in the oil and gas industry, students, and researchers interested in the history and technology of hydrocarbon storage.

Keywords: oil, gas, underground gas storage, reservoir, oil depot