Liquid natural gas (LNG) is the liquid form of natural gas - the same kind you probably use in your home and business every day. Natural gas is turned into its liquid form by processing it in a plant that operates like a giant "refrigerator," cooling it to 260 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. In its liquid form, the gas becomes a clear, colorless and odorless liquid that takes up 1/600th the space, making it safer, easier and more affordable to transport over long distances, keeping prices low for consumers. Liquid natural gas is converted back to gas by passing the liquid through vaporizers that warm it. Both processes are performed using advanced technologies with a proven safety record. Liquid natural gas has been in wide use throughout the world for some 45 years.
Yes. In fact, you may be surprised to learn that there are at least 133 active LNG facilities in the U.S., most of which were built 30 to 40 years ago, and most of which have been quietly doing their job throughout the decades to supply the energy needs of America's homes and businesses.
The liquid natural gas industry has a proven safety record with 45 years of shipping liquid natural gas around the globe, making more than 33,000 ocean voyages over 60 million miles with no major incidents. And over the last 45 years, no member of the public has been harmed in an LNG-related incident anywhere in the world. To put that in perspective, over the same period, more than 16,000 people have lost their lives in commercial airline accidents, in what is considered to be the safest form of public transportation in use today.
As a liquid, liquid natural gas will not combust in the presence of a spark because there is no oxygen present within the liquid If liquid natural gas is spilled, the resulting vapor will warm, become lighter than air and most likely disperse harmlessly with the prevailing wind. The lighter-than-air property of natural gas actually makes it safer than some other common fuels, such as propane and butane, whose gases are heavier than air and tend to settle closer to the ground.
LNG will not pollute the environment if it were to spill. In the unlikely event that there's a release from a liquid natural gas carrier, the liquid natural gas will vaporize and dissipate into the environment. Because LNG is not transported under pressure, there will not be a significant pressure release in the event of a leak, nor would there be a large release of gas due to a sudden drop in pressure as would be the case for pressurized gases, such as propane.
To find out more about LNG safety, particularly related to transportation, read the 2004 Sandia National Laboratory report to the Department of Energy at www.fossil.energy.gov - type Sandia + LNG into the search bar. (Abstract from the US DOE web site)
In gaseous form, liquid natural gas vapor can burn, but only within a very narrow range of conditions. If it is released into the air, it must mix with the precise proportion of air (5 to 15 percent) to produce a flammable mixture. Too little air, and there is not enough oxygen to sustain a flame; too much air and there is not enough natural gas to support a flame. Once the natural gas dissipates to less than 5%, it is diluted into a harmless vapor and can never reconstitute to a flammable mixture. Land-based LNG facilities are subject to stringent rules, regulations, and environmental standards. Security measures for land-based liquid natural gas facilities and onshore portions of marine terminals are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the U.S. Department of Transportation. Examples of these requirements include security patrols, protective enclosures, lighting, monitoring equipment, and alternative power sources.
To ensure that Bradwood Landing is even safer, NorthernStar Natural Gas has exceeded all governmental regulations by committing to build full-containment LNG tanks. Full containment tanks consist of a primary tank that will hold the LNG within a second tank that can also hold the LNG, essentially a tank within a tank. In engineering terms, each tank will be constructed of a primary inner container fabricated from 9 percent nickel steel and a secondary outer container of pre-stressed concrete and a reinforced concrete domed roof. Both the primary container and the secondary container will be capable of containing 100 percent of the full design LNG liquid volume as well as the vapors resulting from a product release from the inner tank. To increase safety of the tanks, there will be no piping penetrations through the sidewall or bottom of the inner or outer tank; all piping in and out of the tank will enter through the top of the tank.
Security measures. The NorthernStar Natural Gas importation facility will meet or exceed every existing government security requirement. The US Coast Guard, FERC and other agencies are very sensitive to safety and security procedures for LNG facilities. NorthernStar Natural Gas will continue to work with regulators, Homeland Security and the local police and fire chiefs to ensure that our facility is safe. We ask the public to understand and appreciate that, in accordance with the Federal Homeland Security requirements, some of the details associated with facility security and certain aspects of the receiving terminal design will be classified.
Security for the offshore portions of marine terminals is regulated by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard will establish appropriate procedures for LNG ships transiting the Columbia River and docked at a terminal.
The government plays a significant role in siting and regulating all aspects of LNG transportation, unloading, storage and distribution. The siting, design, construction and operation of our proposed facility will be regulated by many federal agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), US Department of Transportation, and the United States Coast Guard. In addition, many state and local agencies will be involved and the community will have the opportunity to participate in and comment on the proposed project during the approval process. You will have the right to participate in the approvals process and make your opinions known, as well as get answers to your questions.
Northwest homes and businesses consume three billion cubic feet of natural gas each day, and demand is projected to grow by 40 percent over the next twenty years. Yet the region has virtually no ability to produce this vital energy source. Bringing in additional supplies will help fill that need, keep natural gas more affordable, and help keep Northwest employers competitive. In addition, America's energy strength lies in the abundance and diversity of its energy resources. Nationwide, natural gas use is expected to increase significantly, but production will not keep pace. To ensure abundant, affordable, reliable natural gas for American consumers, the United States will not only have to increase development of its existing resources but also look at expanding other key components of the nation's energy mix such as liquid natural gas.
The National Petroleum Council in its 2003 study, “Balancing Natural Gas Policy – Fueling the Demands of a Growing Economy”, noted that:
Traditional North American producing areas will provide only 75% of long-term US natural gas needs through 2025. (New sources of supply include Alaska and the Rocky Mountain States.)
Liquid natural gas will provide almost 17% of US demand in 2025.
Additional liquid natural gas capacity may be able to lower the price of natural gas by 20 to 60 cents per million Btu (in 2002 dollars) in 2025. However, restriction of new liquid natural gas supplies could potentially raise the price by about $1 per million Btu (2002 dollars in 2025).
