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» Safety » LNG Safety Record
The Facts
Continuing More than 40 Years of Safety
For more than 40 years, natural gas has been safely delivered to the United States and around the world in liquid form. That's over 40,000 ocean voyages covering 60 million miles around the globe - to places like Boston Harbor, Belgium and Tokyo - without a single maritime incident resulting in a major release or injury. Today there are 38 liquefaction plants and 47 receiving terminals in operation worldwide, including five facilities in the United States.
Safely Used Around the World
– from Europe to Japan
Around the world, there are numerous existing natural gas receiving terminals, some of which have been in operation for more than thirty years. In fact, Japan, Korea and Taiwan depend almost entirely on natural gas delivered as LNG for their energy needs. Europe, which is connected by pipelines to Siberia's vast natural gas reserves, nevertheless has 11 operating natural gas receiving terminals, with another 13 planned or under construction.
Safely Used in the USA: Boston and Beyond
Currently, there are five operating natural gas receiving terminals in the U.S. (Boston Harbor; Cove Point, Md.; Elba Island, Ga.; Lake Charles, La.; and Excelerate Energy's Gulf Gateway Terminal in the Gulf of Mexico). In addition, there is one export terminal associated with a liquefaction plant (Kenai, Alaska) and there are 57 land-based storage terminals with liquefaction capacity primarily used for peak shaving and load management.
In its liquid state, natural gas cannot explode or burn. If spilled, it will warm up and the resulting vapor, which is lighter than air, will rapidly disperse into the atmosphere. Although colorless, should it be released into the air, the cold vapor would appear as a white cloud of water vapor. The lighter-than-air property of natural gas vapor actually makes it less hazardous than some other fuels, such as propane or gasoline, whose vapors are heavier than air, and can travel considerable distances close to the ground. Unlike propane or gasoline, natural gas vapor does not burn rapidly enough to cause an explosion in an unconfined space or outdoors, and has a higher ignition temperature, requiring more energy to start the combustion process. In its gaseous form, natural gas can burn only if it is released into the air, mixed with the correct proportion of air (5 to 15 percent of natural gas) and at the same time coincidentally finds a source of ignition. Too little air, and there is not enough oxygen to sustain a flame. Too much air, and the natural gas is diluted too much to ignite.
Environmental Safety
A spill or leak would cause minimal land or water damage. It does not foul water or beaches like oil. Instead, it would rapidly evaporate into the atmosphere.
In more than 40 years of safely transporting liquefied natural gas around the world, there have been no maritime incidents resulting in a major release or injury.
Today's Safe, Modern
Liquefied Natural Gas Industry
The safety record of liquefied natural gas transportation and receiving is clear and well documented. In more than 40 years and during more than 40,000 ocean voyages covering more than 60 million miles around the globe, there have been no maritime incidents resulting in a major release or injury. Indeed, the few accidents that have occurred at U.S. liquefied natural gas receiving terminals have been attributed either to inadequately designed materials, or to circumstances that did not involve liquefied natural gas.
In many cases, these accidents occurred so long ago that they cannot be compared to the modern liquefied natural gas industry receiving terminals. It would be like someone pointing to a 1944 car accident to claim that your new car is unsafe - ignoring the past 60 years of dramatic improvements in safety design and equipment, from seat belts to anti-lock steering to anti-rollover technology.
Nonetheless, the lessons learned from each accident resulted in additional safety measures that are applied across the industry to ensure that similar accidents are not repeated.
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Accidents, Causes & Safety
Take a look at some of the accidents, their causes, and the safety improvements that resulted from them.
» Safety improvements…
The Facts:
Clearwater Port's
Commitment to Safety
• Rigorous, Independent Safety Review • Extraordinary
Expertise and a Single Mission • State-of-the-Art
Technology • Investing Time & Money
to Get it Right
» Commitment to Safety
The Facts:
Clearwater Port's Comprehensive,
State-of-the-Art Safety System
At Clearwater Port, safety is the first
priority. Period. From beginning to end, Clearwater Port's comprehensive
safety system uses state-of-the-art technology…
» State-of-the-Art Safety
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