Feasibilty of underground storages for fuel distillates in soft rock formations above aquifers (in Israel)

The results of geotechnical feasibility investigations all over Israel, indicate that Eocene formations (chalk and silicified chalk) offer the most suitable properties, as being the potential rock for underground storage for distillates. Explorations included preliminary geological survey, core drillings, a wide spectrum of laboratory tests and a trial excavation in chalk with a volume of 20,000 cubic meters. The microporosity of the chalk establishes the need for impermeabilization. The paper discusses the problem and possible solutions for the construction of an impermeabilised underground fuel products long term storage.