LNG - ENVIRONMENT
News:
What is Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), and how it impacts the climate
What's in the news?
● The
EU is weaning itself off piped Russian gas by rapidly expanding imports of
liquified natural gas, much of it fracked in the US.
Key takeaways:
● LNG
is to compensate for lost Russian gas supplies, with four new terminals set to
come online in Germany alone.
● With LNG creating almost
10 times more emissions than piped gas
by one estimate, its rapid expansion will likely compromise climate targets, say
climate researchers, who also reject claims that most LNG infrastructure is
suitable for green hydrogen in the future.
What is Liquified Natural Gas (LNG)?
● LNG
is natural gas reduced to a liquid state
(liquefaction) through intense cooling to around -161 degrees Celsius (-259
Fahrenheit).
● This
liquid gas is 600 times smaller than the original volume and is half the weight
of water.
● The
compressed fossil fuel, which is constituted almost wholly of methane - a
potent greenhouse gas can be transported around the world by ship.
Present Issue:
● Russia is world’s third
biggest oil and the second biggest natural gas producer.
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine crude oil prices have skyrocketed,
leaving many countries uncertain of their ability to meet demand in the medium
to long term.
● It
brought the attention of the economies towards alternatives and Liquefied
Natural Gas (LNG) is one of the foremost available alternatives.
Benefits of LNG:
1. Reduces GHG emissions:
● It
generates 30% less carbon dioxide than fuel oil and 45% less than coal.
● The
combustion of natural gas evaporates much more quickly in the air, compared to
fossil fuel, leaving no particles or residue.
● So,
there’s far less spreading of oils after LNG spills and also contributes to far
lower carbon emissions.
2. Consistency and reliable supply:
● LNG
has a higher energy density, which means, in comparison to crude oil, more
energy can be stored and transported for the same amount of volume.
3. Cost effective:
● LNG’s
volume has been reduced to 1/600th of its un-liquified state, making it easier
to contain and transport.
● LNG
also weighs less than one-half as much as water, so it is lighter also.
4. Cleaner atmosphere and more efficient:
● Natural
gas burns extremely efficiently, producing mainly heat and water vapour, and
it’s much more cost-effective.
● It
reduces nitrogen oxide emissions, does not emit soot, dust or fumes, and
produces insignificant amounts of sulfur dioxide, mercury, and other
particulates compared to other fuels.
Issues with LNG:
1. Increased costs:
● There
are cost challenges between LNG exporters and importers related to LNG supply
chains.
● Such
as remote locations, cost increases, LNG storage, scheduling and price
convergence determined.
2. Environmental concerns:
● Extracting
and transporting it leads to methane leakage, which is the second biggest cause
of climate change after carbon emissions.
3. Heavy energy use:
● The
liquefaction process uses tremendous amounts of energy which directly or indirectly
emits a lot of greenhouse gases.
4. Educating customers:
● Educating
governments to enable them to make optimal and timely decisions and create a
business friendly financial, regulatory and legal environment is a struggle.
5. Global disruptions:
● Today,
the global oil market remains vulnerable to a wide range of risk factors,
including natural disasters, major technical accidents, and geopolitical
tensions.
6. Methane loss:
● Between
10-25% of the energy of the gas is lost during the liquefaction process.
● Consequently,
the risks of methane leakages along the production, transport and
regasification chain are high and therefore much more emissions-intensive.
WAY FORWARD:
● Promoting
energy efficiency and renewable power is the sustainable solution to the
shortfall in Russian gas.
● Emphasis
should be laid on cheaper sustainable energy sources to make up the current gas
deficit.
● Governments
should develop and implement strategies to effectively curtail Methane leakage.
The
crisis holds lessons for various countries that have ambitious plans for using
renewable technologies. Cheap and reliable energy sources should not be
abandoned until the alternatives have been stringently stress-tested. If managed successfully, the implementation
of LNG can improve environmental performance.