First discovered in 1820 LNG has become an integral part of our society.
As part of the effort to diversify energy sources in response to the oil crisis, the demand for LNG in the United States began in the latter part of the 1970s. It is anticipated that LNG will take a larger share of the natural gas market in the United States in the coming years as a result of the relatively low price, abundant supplies, and desire to cut carbon emissions. The United States currently consumes 24% of its energy from natural gas, of which 1.2 percent is imported in the form of LNG. Commercial use makes up 13.4% of total consumption, industrial use makes up 28.6%, electrical power makes up 28.6%, and vehicle fuel and other use makes up 8.5%. Residential use makes up 20.9% of total consumption.
There are two methods for liquefying large quantities of natural gas. The first is known as the “cascade” process, and it involves the natural gas being cooled by another gas, which in turn is cooled by another gas. Before the liquid natural gas cycle, there are typically two cascade cycles. The Linde process is the other one, and the Claude process, a variation of the Linde process, is sometimes used. The gas is cooled regeneratively during this procedure by continuously expanding and passing through an orifice until it reaches liquefaction temperatures. The Joule–Thomson effect is the name given to this method, which was created by James Joule and William Thomson. For his patents, Lee Twomey used the cascade method.
In 1914, Godfrey L. Cabot patented a river barge for handling and transporting liquid gas. In 1917, the first LNG plant in West Virginia proved that LNG was viable. In 1941, concentrated energy was stored in commercial “Peak shaving plants” in the United States (Cleveland). In 1959, the first LNG cargo was delivered by ship. 1960 Conch International Methane pioneers a series of experiments involving small-scale LNG spills on land at Lake Charles, LA for the U.S. Bureau of Mines. 1964 saw the First baseload LNG plant (Camel) in operation in Arzew, Algeria. Methane Pioneer transports a cargo of 2,000 tons of natural gas from Louisiana across the Atlantic to Canvey Island on the Thames estuary. 1.2 MMTPA (three 0.4 MMTPA trains) through the TEAL Cascade method. International LNG shipping powered by steam turbines in 1964 between Europe and Algeria as part of the “LNG chain.”
By 1969, three additional trades (Algeria – France, Libya – Italy and Spain, Alaska – Japan, 1969 1.5 mmtpa export plant in Kenai, Alaska uses the three refrigerants Phillips Cascade cycle) had been completed using Conch tanks on the first purpose-built LNG ships (LNG Princess and LNG Progress).GT-driven. First use of aluminum plate fin heat exchangers in 1970 The first APCI SMR export plant was built in Marsa El Brega, Libya, using SWHE technology and 2*0.75MMTPA trains.
In 1971, Kvaerner created the 88 km3 Moss spherical containment system. Also In 1971, Everett, Maryland became the first US import terminal. 1978 saw the opening of the Cove Point and Elba Island terminals. 1972 saw the first propane-precooled mixed refrigerant cycle (APCI C3MR) built for Shell Brunei, with a capacity of 5×1.1 MMTPA. 1975 saw the delivery of the French-built Ben Franklin, which had a capacity of 120 km3. 1977 saw the start of the first project in the Middle East, the 2×1.25 MMtpa train Das Island project in Abu Dhabi. Later that year, when Indonesia began operating 2 x 2 MMtpa trains in Bontang, it joined the ranks of countries that exported LNG.
In 1979, the Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators (SIGTTO) was established to promote the safe and dependable operation of gas tankers and terminals.
In 1983, MLNG Satu became the first LNG export from Malaysia. The final steam-turbine-driven greenfield plant with three x 2.1 MMTPA trains was here. 1995 MLNG Dua is the first LNG plant to use large Frame 7 GT drivers, resulting in a significant reduction in fuel consumption and an increase in train size. 1999 Atlantic LNG plant in Trinidad is the first baseload LNG plant since Kenai to use Cascade liquefaction process, adopting two trains in one approach. Other greenfield activity primarily consisted of the expansion of existing terminals. In 1991, the First LNG deliveries from Australia’s North West Shelf arrived in Japan and South Korea.
The “Optimised Cascade” process is used on subsequent trains in Trinidad and elsewhere. In 2000, the Joint Industry Project Azure evaluated the feasibility of Floating LNG (FLNG). In 2004, the APCI SplitMR technology was used for the first time on RasGas Train 3. This meant that both propane and MR compressors could use the same GT driver.
2005 Excelerate Energy commissions Gulf Gateway Deepwater Port, offshore Louisiana, using Excelsior SRV 2007 Excelerate Energy commissions Teesside Gas Port, using regas vessel with dockside coordination and unloading 2007 Hyundai Heavy Industries delivered the first Q-Flex (Qatar-Flex) LNG Carrier (210 km3) to QatarGas in late 2007. Includes the Hamworthy BOG re-liquefaction system. In 2007, Statoil opened the 4.4 MMTPA Snohvit LNG terminal on Melkoya Island, Norway. It uses Linde’s proprietary MFC refrigeration technology and Linde SWHE.
In 2008, Samsung Heavy Industries delivered the first Q-Max LNG Carrier (266 km3) to QatarGas. In 2008, Golar Spirit, a 129 km3 Moss carrier, was the first LNG ship to be converted into a FS. Asia’s demand for LNG continues to rise and now accounts for close to 75% of global imports. In 2014 The LNG worldwide market celebrated 50 years of history with around 80,000 exchanges without huge mishaps and in 2016 the United States completed its first LNG export. Export was a possibility after hydraulic fracturing increased gas production.
Source:
- “LNG HISTORY”. Adriatic LNG. https://www.adriaticlng.it/en/the-company
- “Liquefied Natural Gas”. ScienceDirect. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/liquefied-natural-gas
- “The History of the LNG Industry”. Shea Writing & Training Solutions. https://www.sheaws.com/the-history-of-the-lng-industry/
Baloydi Lloydi is the content manager of Asknoypi.