CNG not LNG

abarrelfull wrote on 27 Sep 2010 09:03
Tags: cng lng sea-ng

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I have seen a number of references in news stories about CNG being an alternative to LNG, and this struck me as a little odd. After all, LNG is able to reduce the volume of gas by 600 times, which is why it is such a useful technique. Aside from that, the risks associated with CNG would seems to be prohibitive, when transported in a large volume.

Well apparently I am wrong.

Sea NG is a Canadian company specializing in the marine transportation of compressed natural gas (CNG) using its proprietary Coselle™ technology.

What this company have done is two things.

1. Understood that LNG has its limitations
2. Designed a better way to transport CNG

LNG is especially ill suited to smaller scale, due to its very large capital requirements. So where the volumes of production or consumption as small, unit costs are potentially prohibitively high. Traditional LNG terminals also have a large footprint, and thus face much resistance.

By storing the cng in a coil of pipe, Sea NG have come up with a method that is both cheap (standard components) and safe (leaks would be small). A description of the technology can be found here.

Whilst there are a number of developments that promise to make LNG work better on a smaller scale, Excelerate Energy being a good example, CNG seems to offer an alternative. If unit costs are low enough, then a multiple of terminals can serve even small markets, enabling competition, and securing energy security.

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• Then there were Five
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• Projected LNG Capacity Increases
• Third LNG Project Awarded Export Permit
• What is the Total Proposed LNG Export from the USA
• Is LNG Going To Be A Major Marine Fuel

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