Deep Risk Assessment of Gas Storage Based on Coupling Network and Game Theory

To address the issues of unclear risk-coupling mechanisms and the subjective-objective imbalance in evaluation weights for underground gas storage, this paper proposes an assessment method integrating network analysis with game-theory-based fusion weighting. A comprehensive geology–wellbore–surface–auxiliary whole-system risk inventory is first established. Meanwhile, the cross-system risk conduction network is analyzed based on the identification of material, energy, and information flows among subsystems. Subsequently, fault tree analysis (FTA) and expert risk scoring (ERS) are integrated to form a coupling network-guided game theory-based weighting model (CN-GT). This mechanism introduces a game-theoretic deviation-minimization model to reconcile conflicts between subjective and objective information sources and explicitly incorporates risk conduction paths into the weight-aggregation process to quantitatively correct cross-system coupling effects. A case study is conducted at the Xiangguosi gas storage facility. Results from ablation experiments and benchmark method comparisons demonstrate that the cross-system coupling effect is significant; the weight of the risk factor “systemic risk caused by improper compressor operation” ranks first after integration, a contribution severely underestimated by traditional methods. Furthermore, the risk prioritization clearly identifies wellbore integrity and critical equipment reliability as the primary control points. This study provides a quantifiable and decision-support tool for the systematic risk management and control of gas storage.