Liquified natural gas (LNG), a form of liquified gas, is primarily transported in its liquid state using special tankers.
Transporting Liquified Natural Gas (LNG)
The process of moving natural gas in its liquid form involves several key stages as described in the provided reference:
- Liquefaction: Natural gas is cooled to approximately -162°C (-260°F), converting it into a compact liquid form known as Liquified Natural Gas (LNG). This significantly reduces its volume, making transportation over long distances more efficient.
- Shipping by Special Tankers: In this compact liquid state, LNG is shipped in special tankers specifically designed to maintain the extremely low temperature and safely transport the cryogenic liquid across oceans to import terminals around the world. These ships are often referred to as LNG carriers.
- Regasification: Upon arrival at an import terminal, the LNG is returned to its gaseous state. This process, called regasification, involves warming the liquid.
- Distribution by Pipeline: Once the natural gas is back in its gaseous state, it is then transported by pipeline to distribution companies, industrial consumers, and power plants for final use.
Therefore, the initial and long-distance transport of liquified natural gas (LNG) is carried out by specialized tankers. The subsequent transport after it has been converted back into gas is handled by pipelines.
This two-stage process – liquefaction, tankering, regasification, and pipelining – allows natural gas to be transported globally, reaching markets that are not directly connected by pipelines.
