Abstract: Based on variable mass thermodynamic principle, a mathematical model of thermal analysis is proposed for gas injection and production process in salt cavern gas storage. Then an analytical solution is provided for temperature and pressure variation with time during single gas injection and production process, which can be set as boundary conditions of numerical simulation. According to the basic data of Jintan underground gas storage and the rock salt properties acquired from experiments, a thermal-mechanical coupling model is established for gas injection and recovery process in one single salt cavern by using the finite element software COMSOL Multiphysics FEM. Through simulating the distribution of tensile damage, shear damage and expansion damage of the surrounding rock in salt cavern under constant injection-production rate, this study investigates the influence of interlayer and thermal stress on the damage of surrounding rock. Based on the thermal stress theory in combination with simulation results, this study analyzes the thermal damage mechanism of surrounding rock during the injection-production process in salt cavern gas storage. The simulation results indicate that in the presence of thermal stress, the interlayer can promote the damage of surrounding rock. There is no damage in the surrounding rock in case of no interlayer, while the surrounding rock is damaged when the interlayer exists. There is a difference in the location of damage during gas injection and production process. The damage during gas injection process often occurs in the salt rock near the interlayer, while the damage during gas production process often occurs in the interlayer. The expansion damage is distributed most widely, and the damage range covers the first two kinds of damage. Therefore, it is recommended to use the criterion of expansion damage in the actual production process, and the results of damage evaluation are more conservative.