chemical engineering: LNG SES Issues...

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*Several Video clips at the end of post...

Natural gas is used in industry and household to provide heating energy. It is explored from gas well, treated transported to customer via large and long pipeline. It is become non-cost effective once the pipeline length is exceeded 3000 - 3500 km. Thus, another mode of transportation, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is considered cost effective. Liquefied Natural gas (LNG) is a process of cooling down the natural gas to form liquid for easy storage and transportation. A LNG is normally contains of Methane (CH4) which is more than 90% and other light hydrocarbon such as Ethane (C2H6), Propane (C3H8), Butane (C4H10) and Nitrogen (N2) inert gas. LNG is non-corrosive, non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, odorless and colorless. However, it is flammable and explosive and create greenhouse effect to environment. With the tremendous high oil price and dropping in oil reserve, this has pushed many energy company shifting their business towards LNG. No doubt LNG is one of the energy alternative, many peoples who are safety, environment & security concerns, not agreeing with the implementation of LNG production.

Three main issues are their concerns : Safety, Environment and Security.

Safety
For the past 40 years, there are more than 25 accidents related to LNG from production plant, storage and transportation.

Methane Princess Spill, 1965
Jules Verne Spill, May 1965
La Spezia, Italy, 1971
Montreal East, Quebec, Canada, 1972
Staten Island Tank Fire, USA, 1973
Massachusetts Barge Spill, July 1974
Aquarius Spill, September 1977
Das Island, United Arab Emirates, March 1978
Cove Point, Maryland, 1979
Mostafa Ben Bouliad Spill, April 1979
Pollenger Spill, April 1979
Bontang, Indonesia, 1983
Nevada Test Site, Mercury, NV, 1987
Bachir Chihani, Hull Cracking, 1990
Mediterranean Off Gibraltar
Algeria, LNG Facility Explosion, January 19, 2004
Trinidad Tobago, June 13, 2004
Belgium, July 31, 2004
Norway, September 20, 2004
USA, March 2005
Nigeria, August 2005
Savannah, GA March 14, 2006
Trinidad & Tobago May 18 & May 21 & June 6, 2006
Jordan July 13, 2006
Cape Cod February 11, 2008

This has raised an serious alarm to many energy company. Serious safety review are conducted for each LNG related project. As the attraction of LNG business, high energy demand, pressure from government in sourcing energy, many new LNG production and receiving projects still in the planning and implementation phase. Serious and additional safety review are in place to minimize safety risk.

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Environment Impact
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is known to create severe greenhouse effect and contribute serious global warming. Many efforts such as Co2 capture and sequestration are in research and implementation in order to minimize release of Co2 to atmospheric. It is aware that 1 mole of methane is about 21 time CO2 equivalent. Those any similar quantity of LNG release would seriously results severe global warming. Again, serious safety, facilities and operational review in place to minimize the potential of LNG release to atmospheric.

Security
Following the terrorist attack to twin tower in 911 case, many security agent has postulated the danger of similar attack to plant with flammable product i.e LNG plant. This is another push to minimize LNG plant implementation. Having say that, similar risk is still applicable to other plant i.e refinery, petrochemical plant, etc. Are we going to stop implementation of all these facilities due to this factor ?

Following are some video clip related danger of LNG.