EN 1918-5:2016
(Main)Gas infrastructure - Underground gas storage - Part 5: Functional recommendations for surface facilities
General Information
- Abstract
This European Standard covers the functional recommendations for the design, construction, testing, commissioning, operation, maintenance and abandonment of the surface facilities for underground gas storage (UGS), between the wellhead and the connection to the gas grid.
It specifies practices which are safe and environmentally acceptable.
For necessary subsurface facilities for underground storage, the relevant part of EN 1918-1 to EN 1918-4 applies.
In this context, "gas" is any hydrocarbon fuel:
- which is in a gaseous state at a temperature of 15 °C and under a pressure of 0,1 MPa (this includes natural gas, compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The stored product is also named fluid);
- which meets specific quality requirements in order to maintain underground storage integrity, performance, environmental compatibility and fulfils contractual requirements.
This European Standard specifies common basic principles for underground gas storage facilities. Users of this European Standard should be aware that more detailed standards and/or codes of practice exist. A non-exhaustive list of relevant standards can be found in Annex A.
This European Standard is intended to be applied in association with these national standards and/or codes of practice and does not replace them.
In the event of conflicts in terms of more restrictive requirements in the national legislation/regulation with the requirements of this European Standard, the national legislation/regulation takes precedence as illustrated in CEN/TR 13737 (all parts).
NOTE CEN/TR 13737 (all parts) contains:
- clarification of relevant legislation/regulations applicable in a country;
- if appropriate, more restrictive national requirements;
- national contact point for the latest information.
This European Standard is not intended to be applied retrospectively to existing facilities.
- Status
- Published
- Publication Date
- 22-Mar-2016
- Withdrawal Date
- 29-Sep-2016
- Technical Committee
- CEN/TC 234 - Gas infrastructure
- Drafting Committee
- CEN/TC 234/WG 4 - Gas underground storage
- Current Stage
- 9092 - Decision on results of review/2YR ENQ - revise - Review Enquiry
- Start Date
- 20-Dec-2022
- Completion Date
- 17-Sep-2026
Overview
EN 1918-5:2016 (CEN) - Gas infrastructure - Underground gas storage - Part 5: Functional recommendations for surface facilities - provides functional recommendations for the design, construction, testing, commissioning, operation, maintenance and abandonment of surface facilities for underground gas storage (UGS). The scope covers the facilities between the wellhead and the connection to the gas grid and applies to gases that are gaseous at 15 °C and 0.1 MPa (including natural gas, CNG, and LPG). The standard defines safe and environmentally acceptable practices and is intended to be used alongside more detailed national standards and codes of practice.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope of surface facilities: interfaces between wells and the gas transport network, including dehydration, conditioning, compression, metering and control systems.
- Design and engineering: functional layout, process control and monitoring, security and redundancy (back-up systems), and manning level considerations.
- Safety & environmental (HSE): risk management, emergency procedures, flaring and venting controls, fire and explosion prevention, and environmental compatibility.
- Operation & maintenance: commissioning, testing, routine inspection, planned maintenance and condition monitoring to ensure long-term integrity and performance.
- Abandonment: procedures for safe withdrawal of gas, plugging and abandonment of wells, decommissioning of surface facilities and post-abandonment monitoring.
- Special processes: handling of leaching/debrining for salt caverns and specific measures for LPG storage at surface interfaces.
- Key process equipment: compressors and pumps, gas heaters, coolers, filtration, glycol dehydration/regeneration, metering and separators.
- Performance metrics: working gas volume, cushion gas, injection and withdrawal rates, and corresponding pressure operating ranges.
Practical applications
- Designing and specifying surface installations for new UGS projects and greenfield developments.
- Defining operational procedures and safety systems for compressor stations, metering skids, dehydration units and manifolds that link wells to transmission grids.
- Supporting regulatory compliance, HSE assessments and asset management for seasonal and balancing storage operations.
- Informing project contractors, engineering consultancies and operators of the required functional principles for safe, environmentally compatible UGS surface facilities.
Who should use this standard
- Pipeline and storage engineers
- UGS operators and asset owners
- HSE and emergency-response teams
- Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors
- Regulators and permitting authorities
- Consultants involved with design, commissioning and decommissioning
Related standards
- EN 1918-1 to EN 1918-4 (UGS subsurface functional recommendations)
- CEN/TR 13737 (clarification of national legislation/regulatory precedence)
- National codes of practice and more detailed technical standards (see Annex A of EN 1918-5 for a non‑exhaustive list)
Note: EN 1918-5:2016 provides high-level, common principles and does not replace more detailed national regulations; where national legislation is more restrictive, it takes precedence.
Relations
- Effective Date
- 30-Mar-2016
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 18-Jan-2023
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Frequently Asked Questions
EN 1918-5:2016 is a standard published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Its full title is "Gas infrastructure - Underground gas storage - Part 5: Functional recommendations for surface facilities". This standard covers: This European Standard covers the functional recommendations for the design, construction, testing, commissioning, operation, maintenance and abandonment of the surface facilities for underground gas storage (UGS), between the wellhead and the connection to the gas grid. It specifies practices which are safe and environmentally acceptable. For necessary subsurface facilities for underground storage, the relevant part of EN 1918-1 to EN 1918-4 applies. In this context, "gas" is any hydrocarbon fuel: - which is in a gaseous state at a temperature of 15 °C and under a pressure of 0,1 MPa (this includes natural gas, compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The stored product is also named fluid); - which meets specific quality requirements in order to maintain underground storage integrity, performance, environmental compatibility and fulfils contractual requirements. This European Standard specifies common basic principles for underground gas storage facilities. Users of this European Standard should be aware that more detailed standards and/or codes of practice exist. A non-exhaustive list of relevant standards can be found in Annex A. This European Standard is intended to be applied in association with these national standards and/or codes of practice and does not replace them. In the event of conflicts in terms of more restrictive requirements in the national legislation/regulation with the requirements of this European Standard, the national legislation/regulation takes precedence as illustrated in CEN/TR 13737 (all parts). NOTE CEN/TR 13737 (all parts) contains: - clarification of relevant legislation/regulations applicable in a country; - if appropriate, more restrictive national requirements; - national contact point for the latest information. This European Standard is not intended to be applied retrospectively to existing facilities.
This European Standard covers the functional recommendations for the design, construction, testing, commissioning, operation, maintenance and abandonment of the surface facilities for underground gas storage (UGS), between the wellhead and the connection to the gas grid. It specifies practices which are safe and environmentally acceptable. For necessary subsurface facilities for underground storage, the relevant part of EN 1918-1 to EN 1918-4 applies. In this context, "gas" is any hydrocarbon fuel: - which is in a gaseous state at a temperature of 15 °C and under a pressure of 0,1 MPa (this includes natural gas, compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The stored product is also named fluid); - which meets specific quality requirements in order to maintain underground storage integrity, performance, environmental compatibility and fulfils contractual requirements. This European Standard specifies common basic principles for underground gas storage facilities. Users of this European Standard should be aware that more detailed standards and/or codes of practice exist. A non-exhaustive list of relevant standards can be found in Annex A. This European Standard is intended to be applied in association with these national standards and/or codes of practice and does not replace them. In the event of conflicts in terms of more restrictive requirements in the national legislation/regulation with the requirements of this European Standard, the national legislation/regulation takes precedence as illustrated in CEN/TR 13737 (all parts). NOTE CEN/TR 13737 (all parts) contains: - clarification of relevant legislation/regulations applicable in a country; - if appropriate, more restrictive national requirements; - national contact point for the latest information. This European Standard is not intended to be applied retrospectively to existing facilities.
EN 1918-5:2016 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 75.200 - Petroleum products and natural gas handling equipment. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
EN 1918-5:2016 has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to EN 1918-5:1998, EN 1918-2:2016, EN 1918-4:2016, EN 1918-1:2016, EN 1918-3:2016, FprEN 1918-5. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.
EN 1918-5:2016 is associated with the following European legislation: Standardization Mandates: M/017. When a standard is cited in the Official Journal of the European Union, products manufactured in conformity with it benefit from a presumption of conformity with the essential requirements of the corresponding EU directive or regulation.
EN 1918-5:2016 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.
Standards Content (Sample)
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.NFLRQDOQDGasinfrastruktur - Untertagespeicherung von Gas - Teil 5: Funktionale Empfehlungen für ÜbertageanlagenInfrastructures gazières - Stockage souterrain de gaz - Partie 5: Recommandations fonctionnelles pour les installations de surfaceGas infrastructure - Underground gas storage - Part 5: Functional recommendations for surface facilities75.200Petroleum products and natural gas handling equipmentICS:Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z:EN 1918-5:2016SIST EN 1918-5:2016en,fr,de01-november-2016SIST EN 1918-5:2016SLOVENSKI
STANDARDSIST EN 1918-5:19991DGRPHãþD
EUROPEAN STANDARD NORME EUROPÉENNE EUROPÄISCHE NORM
EN 1918-5
March
t r s x ICS
y wä t r r Supersedes EN
s { s zæ wã s { { zEnglish Version
Gas infrastructure æ Underground gas storage æ Part
wã Functional recommendations for surface facilities Infrastructures gazières æ Stockage souterrain de gaz æ Partie
wã Recommandations fonctionnelles pour les installations de surface
Gasinfrastruktur æ Untertagespeicherung von Gas æ Teil
wã Funktionale Empfehlungen für Übertageanlagen This European Standard was approved by CEN on
{ January
t r s xä
egulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alterationä Upætoædate lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CENæCENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN memberä
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CENæCENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versionsä
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austriaá Belgiumá Bulgariaá Croatiaá Cyprusá Czech Republicá Denmarká Estoniaá Finlandá Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedoniaá Franceá Germanyá Greeceá Hungaryá Icelandá Irelandá Italyá Latviaá Lithuaniaá Luxembourgá Maltaá Netherlandsá Norwayá Polandá Portugalá Romaniaá Slovakiaá Sloveniaá Spainá Swedená Switzerlandá Turkey and United Kingdomä
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre:
Avenue Marnix 17,
B-1000 Brussels
t r s x CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CEN national Membersä Refä Noä EN
s { s zæ wã t r s x ESIST EN 1918-5:2016
Non-exhaustive list of relevant standards . 17 Annex B (informative)
Significant technical changes between this European Standard and the previous version EN 1918-5:1998 . 19
In this context, "gas" is any hydrocarbon fuel: — which is in a gaseous state at a temperature of 15 °C and under a pressure of 0,1 MPa (this includes natural gas, compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The stored product is also named fluid); — which meets specific quality requirements in order to maintain underground storage integrity, performance, environmental compatibility and fulfils contractual requirements. This European Standard specifies common basic principles for underground gas storage facilities. Users of this European Standard should be aware that more detailed standards and/or codes of practice exist. A non-exhaustive list of relevant standards can be found in Annex A. This European Standard is intended to be applied in association with these national standards and/or codes of practice and does not replace them. In the event of conflicts in terms of more restrictive requirements in the national legislation/regulation with the requirements of this European Standard, the national legislation/regulation takes precedence as illustrated in CEN/TR 13737 (all parts). NOTE CEN/TR 13737 (all parts) contains: — clarification of relevant legislation/regulations applicable in a country; — if appropriate, more restrictive national requirements; — national contact point for the latest information. This European Standard is not intended to be applied retrospectively to existing facilities. 2 Normative references The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies. EN 1918-1, Gas infrastructure - Underground gas storage - Part 1: Functional recommendations for storage in aquifers EN 1918-2, Gas infrastructure - Underground gas storage - Part 2: Functional recommendations for storage in oil and gas fields EN 1918-3, Gas infrastructure - Underground gas storage - Part 3: Functional recommendations for storage in solution-mined salt cavities SIST EN 1918-5:2016
Key 1 operating wells 2 monitoring wells 3 indicator horizon 4 caprock 5 storage reservoir and stored gas 6 salt dome 7 cavern Figure 1 — Storage in aquifers, oil and gas fields, solution mined salt caverns For LPG storage, only salt or rock caverns can be applied. The UGS type applied is dependent on the geological conditions and prerequisites as well as on the designed capacity layout. SIST EN 1918-5:2016
Key 1 filter 9 gas heaters 2 gas metering 10 control room 3 compressors 11 manifold 4 coolers 12 solid & liquid separation 5 oil separator 13 storage well 6 gas conditioning (e. g. glycol) 14 gas transport system 7 glycol regeneration - - - - - withdrawal with compression 8 pressure reduction ……… injection without compression Figure 2 — Example of flow path injection (above) and withdrawal (below) 3.3 Injection facilities 3.3.1 Liquid and solid separation Liquids and solid particles that the gas stream may contain should be removed by filters and/or separators to prevent damage to or incorrect operation of the equipment. 3.3.2 Gas analysis and metering Mass and/or volumetric flow rates are normally measured and recorded when injected into a storage facility. Gas analysis may be required to check gas quality before injection into a storage facility. SIST EN 1918-5:2016
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