LNG is a natural gas temped to a liquid state. Thus the term liquefied. It goes down to -260 degrees Fahrenheit. The colling of this natural gas is essential for storage and shipping. The volume of the gas in its natural gaseous state is much higher than its volume in its liquefied state.

In fact, liquefied natural gas is 600 times smaller than its gaseous form.

The liquefication process came about in the 19th century. It has made it possible to transport natural gas to places without gas pipelines. Also, natural gas is perfect as a transportation fuel.

Liquefication allows for gas storage. So, what is the best way to store this gas?

Storage of LNG 

As mentioned earlier, the gas cools down to -260 degrees Fahrenheit. As a result, the only means to store the gas is under full refrigeration.

Storage of LNG is only possible in specialized tanks. These tanks have the following features:

  • Large volume
  • Low pressure (above the ground)

Moreover, storage tanks for liquefied natural gas have double walls. The outer wall is made of carbon steel, while the inner wall material is nickel steel. In addition, the tank has an insulating material (blanket) to maintain the cryogenic temperatures.

Ordinary steel is not suitable for this purpose due to its brittleness. Therefore, it should not get into direct contact with LNG.

Properties of LNG 

LNG is majorly made up of methane. It floats on water because it weighs 45% of the weight of water. Other properties of this gas include:

  • It is colorless
  • LNG is odorless
  • It is non-corrosive
  • It is non-toxic

LNG has become a popular commodity, mainly for export. Asian countries are well-known for importing LNG gas from the United States and other countries.

This popularity is only possible because of the diverse uses of LNG.

Uses of Liquefied Natural Gas

Once the gas in the liquefied state reaches its destination, it goes to a regasification station. Usually, the gas is in a frozen state during transit. Therefore, the first step is warming it.

Upon warming, LNG returns to its initial gaseous state. Therefore, it is transportable via pipelines for use in homes and businesses.

Residential uses for natural gas are:

  • Heating homes
  • Cooking
  • Generating electricity

Commercial uses include:

  • Manufacturing products such as paints, medicines, and fertilizers
  • Power generation
  • Fueling commercial vehicles

LNG undergoes processing for transportation and storage. All this is possible in certain facilities around the world. These facilities have specialized equipment to ensure LNG does not escape or change physical properties.

Types of Facilities 

The different facilities involved in the processing, storage and transportation of LNG include:

LNG Export Terminals 

These are also known as liquefication terminals. They receive natural gas from gas fields and turn it into liquefied gas through refrigeration.

Above that, the terminals are in charge of conveying the gas into storage tanks and later loading it into LNG tankers.

LNG Import or Receiving Terminals 

These terminals are also known as regasification plants. After the transportation of LNG gas, regasification terminals receive the gas from tankers. They then store the LNG, vaporize it (return it into a gaseous state) and send it out via pipeline. If transportation is by truck, it remains in liquid form.

LNG Peak Shaving Facilities 

Apart from the usual storage and transportation, some facilities store LNG during warm weather. They then convert it into natural gas for use in the colder seasons.

These are just examples, as there are more facilities involved with LNG. Today, loads of work is underway to ensure environmental conservation in all industries. LNG is one way to achieve a cleaner future energy-wise. LNG is a clean fuel with much less carbon emissions than other fuel sources.