Then natural gas is usually transported in its liquefied state. For example, in regions that are too far from the gas extraction sites and there is no connecting pipeline, but where the conditions for road transport and water transport are given. In this case, instead of pipelines, they are delivered on cargo ships, as LNG can be transported extremely well and efficiently at sea. One cubic meter of liquefied LNG — after regasification — produces about cubic meters of natural gas in normal condition.
The essential difference compared to natural gas transported by pipeline is that at storage temperature certain components water, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, mercury freeze to solid: they must be extracted almost completely from the liquefied gas.
Other than that, everything else is the same as in the case of natural gas transported by pipeline in a gaseous state. It has almost the same composition as natural gas in the traditional sense — only in refrigerated form.
It means that it should be stored differently than normal natural gas. How is natural gas stored? More information here. The gathering system consists of small diameter pipelines that are low pressure. It transports the raw natural gas from the wellhead to the processing plant. If the natural gas has a component that needs to be removed i. In certain areas and countries, in addition to international pipelines, there are also intrastate pipelines — but the technical and operational details are essentially the same.
It means when natural gas arrives at the final locations where it will be used , it flows into smaller diameter pipelines called mains. These are the medium-sized pipelines, smaller than international natural gas pipelines, but bigger than the lines that go directly to homes and buildings. The Everett regasification terminal near Boston, Massachusetts, receives most U. New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, may have significant pipeline constraints when heating demand increases substantially during periods of very cold weather.
LNG imports help to meet natural gas demand in New England because the region currently has limited pipeline interconnections with the Northeast and other U. Click to enlarge.
The United States was a net exporter of LNG in through exports were greater than imports , largely because of increases in U. In , total U. LNG exports were about 28 Bcf to seven countries. In , U. About half of LNG exports went to five countries in In , LNG carriers transported nearly all U. LNG exports. About 0.
Sometimes, when natural gas prices are favorable to do so, the United States re-exports some of the LNG that it originally imported. LNG export terminals consume some of the natural gas delivered to the facility to operate the liquefaction equipment. The U. LNG exports are expected to increase in coming years as new U. LNG export capacity comes online. See detailed information about existing and under-construction large-scale U.
Those volumes are included, but are not itemized, in the data for natural gas consumption for pipeline and distribution use. Natural gas explained Liquefied natural gas. What is energy? Units and calculators. Use of energy. Energy and the environment.
Also in What is energy? This process makes it possible to transport natural gas to places pipelines do not reach.
Liquefying natural gas is a way to move natural gas long distances when pipeline transport is not feasible. Markets that are too far away from producing regions to be connected directly to pipelines have access to natural gas because of LNG. In its compact liquid form, natural gas can be shipped in special tankers to terminals around the world.
At these terminals, the LNG is returned to its gaseous state and transported by pipeline to distribution companies, industrial consumers, and power plants. For large-volume ocean transport, LNG is loaded onto double-hulled ships, which are used for both safety and insulating purposes.
Once the ship arrives at the receiving port, LNG is off-loaded into well-insulated storage tanks, and later regasified for entrance into a pipeline distribution network. LNG can also be shipped in smaller quantities, usually over shorter ocean distances.
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