Chemical & Process Technology

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Recommended :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.

1. Methane Princess Spill, 1965
2. Jules Verne Spill, May 1965
3. La Spezia, Italy, 1971
4. Montreal East, Quebec, Canada, 1972
5. Staten Island Tank Fire, USA, 1973
6. Massachusetts Barge Spill, July 1974
7. Aquarius Spill, September 1977
8. Das Island, United Arab Emirates, March 1978
9. Cove Point, Maryland, 1979
10. Mostafa Ben Bouliad Spill, April 1979
11. Pollenger Spill, April 1979
12. Bontang, Indonesia, 1983
13. Nevada Test Site, Mercury, NV, 1987
14. Bachir Chihani, Hull Cracking, 1990
15. Mediterranean Off Gibraltar
16. Algeria, LNG Facility Explosion, January 19, 2004
17. Trinidad Tobago, June 13, 2004
18. Belgium, July 31, 2004
19. Norway, September 20, 2004
20. USA, March 2005
21. Nigeria, August 2005
22. Savannah, GA March 14, 2006
23. Trinidad & Tobago May 18 & May 21 & June 6, 2006
24. Jordan July 13, 2006
25. 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.

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.