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L
NG is the fastest growing part of the gas market, and
micro to small scale LNG is predicted to develop
considerably faster than medium and large scale LNG.
The rapidly growing market has spurred the commercialisation
of LNG transportation and production. With a higher degree of
flexibility and an off-the-shelf strategy, it is possible to decrease
costs for investments and maintenance, as well as reduce
environmental impact, considering the Emission Control Area
(ECA) regulations.
The low cost, low carbon
challenge
Gas typically reaches its users by one of three means.
Land-based pipelines are the most common, delivering 89%
of the gas used today. The second most common way is to
transport the gas by sea in specially designed LNG vessels.
There is also a small amount of gas that is transported by
rail or truck. However, when the end-user demand for LNG
increases, it is becoming progressively more common to
liquefy the gas in smaller facilities on site. Regardless of the
means of transportation used, the global gas industry must
provide adequate LNG capacity to meet the expected surge
in gas demand in the future. The industry also has to face two
challenges, where environmental concerns drive a development
towards lower carbon emissions, while the market demands a
decrease in cost.
Simultaneously, the US shale gas boom has changed the
entire energy market landscape by reducing the dependence on
oil, allowing for a major revolution to take place in the
transportation sector. In addition to the conventional usage for
Andreas Möller and Joakim Palmberg,
SWEP International AB, Sweden,
show
how a growing market calls for a shift
in technology.
A SMALLER
SOLUTION
