Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is the liquefied form of natural gas, which has a much smaller volume than natural gas in its gaseous form. This liquefied condition is used to facilitate the carriage of natural gas over long distances, often by sea, in specialized tanks.
LNG port terminals are purpose-built port terminals designed to accommodate large LNG carrier ships designed to load, carry and unload LNG. These LNG terminals are located adjacent to a gas liquefaction and storage plant (export), or to a gas regasification and storage plant (import), which are themselves connected to gas pipelines connected to on-shore or off-shore gas fields (export) or to storage and distribution plants (import).
Plant name | Location | Country | Startup date | Capacity (106 tonnes/a ) | Corporation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arzew (CAMEL) GL4Z Trains 1–3 | Algeria | 1964 | 0.3 × 3 = 0.9 | Sonatrach. Shutdown since April 2010. | |
Arzew GL1Z Trains 1–6 | Algeria | 1978 | 1.3 × 6 = 7.8 | Sonatrach | |
Arzew GL2Z Trains 1–6 | Algeria | 1981 | 1.4 × 6 = 8.4 | Sonatrach | |
Arzew GL3Z Train 1 | Algeria | 2013 | 4.7 | Sonatrach | |
Skikda GL K Phase 1 & 2 Trains 1–6 | Algeria | 1972–1981 | Total 6.0 | Sonatrach | |
Skikda GL1k Skikda Train 1 | Algeria | 2013 | 4.5 | Sonatrach | |
EG LNG | Malabo, Bioko Island | Equatorial Guinea [1] | |||
SEGAS LNG | Damietta | Egypt | 2004 | 5.5 | SEGAS LNG |
ELNG IDCO LNG | Egypt | ||||
Nigeria LNG | Bonny | Nigeria | 1999 | Total 22 | NNPC Limited |
Angola LNG | Soyo | Angola | 2013 | 5.2 | |
Coral FLNG | Cabo Delgado Province | Mozambique | 2022 | ENI |
# | Plant name | Location | State | Number of trains | Capacity (mtpa) | Joint venture | Operated by |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | QLNG: Queensland Curtis LNG | Curtis Island | Queensland | 2 | 8.5 | JV | BG Group [12] |
2 | GLNG: Gladstone LNG | Curtis Island | Queensland | 2 | 7.8 | JV | Santos Limited [13] |
3 | APLNG: Australia Pacific LNG | Curtis Island | Queensland | 2 | 9.0 | ConocoPhillips and Origin | Origin Energy |
4 | Karratha Gas Plant | Karratha | Western Australia | 5 | 16.3 | North West Shelf Venture | Woodside Energy |
5 | Pluto LNG | Karratha | Western Australia | 1 | 4.3 | JV | Woodside Energy |
6 | Wheatstone LNG | Barrow Island | Western Australia | 2 | 8.9 | JV | Chevron Corporation [14] |
7 | Gorgon LNG | Barrow Island | Western Australia | 3 | 15.6 | JV | Chevron Corporation [14] |
8 | Ichthys | Darwin | Northern Territory | 2 | 8.4 | JV | INPEX |
9 | DLNG : Darwin LNG | Darwin | Northern Territory | 2 | 3.7 | JV | Santos Limited [15] |
10 | Prelude FLNG | Timor Sea | Australia | 3 | 3.6 | JV | Shell [16] |
Under construction: [24]
The following LNG off-loading and regasification terminals are located in the United States and Gulf of Mexico: [64]
In March 2021 the Russian Government authorised a long-term programme to develop three more LNG plants (plus five more potential plants): [89]
The United States has had a massive shift in LNG terminal planning and construction starting in 2010–2011 due to a rapid increase in US domestic natural gas supply with the widespread adoption of horizontal drilling, combined with hydraulic fracturing petroleum recovery technology. Many brand-new LNG import terminals are planning or have begun addition of liquefaction facilities to operate as export terminals.[ citation needed ]
On 21 November 2019, U.S. regulators approved permits for three new liquified natural gas export terminals in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved permits for Rio Grande LNG, Annova LNG and Texas LNG with each of the three companies intending to build their LNG plant and terminal at the Port of Brownsville. [92] One month after approval, the Sierra Club and other environmental groups asked the FERC to reconsider the permits, saying the agency failed to adequately consider environmental impacts. [93] [ needs update ] However, the Annova LNG project was cancelled in March 2021. [94]
The following six projects are in various stages of planning according to the US Federal regulatory authority as of May 2020. [95]
Operational
Pending Applications
Projects in Pre-Filing
The country also has liquefaction terminals in more remote areas for export, and imports from the Middle East in areas with dense population.