What is LNG?
LNG is a natural gas that has been cooled to minus 161°C, the point at which gas condenses into a liquid. When natural gas is cooled into liquid form, its volume is reduced to 1/600 of its original size. An example would be a 43cm beach ball being reduced to the size of a ping pong ball. This liquefaction process allows gas to be shipped and stored safely and economically to markets throughout the world.
LNG Properties
Natural gas, the cleanest burning of all fossil fuels, is odourless and colourless in liquid form. LNG is non-corrosive and non-toxic and will not pollute land or water resources. LNG is lighter than water and when exposed to air quickly vapourises.
The vapour has only 55 percent of the density of air, so the gas vapour floats away if a release were to occur. LNG is not stored under pressure, so it is not explosive in the storage tanks at the plant or on a ship. LNG will not explode if released into the atmosphere.
LNG Storage
At the plant, LNG is stored in specially engineered and constructed double-walled storage tanks. The LNG storage tanks have exterior concrete walls that are over 1 metre thick. An inner tank is made of a special steel / nickel alloy to accommodate the very cold LNG.
The space between the walls is filled with insulation to maintain a cold environment for the LNG. The tanks are not pressurised.
