Safety FAQ

Will LNG burn?

LNG does not itself burn because it does not contain oxygen; however LNG vapors are flammable in air with a concentration of 5 percent only. If the vapor concentration is lower than 5 percent, it cannot burn because of insufficient fuel. If the vapor concentration is higher than 15 percent, it cannot burn because there is insufficient oxygen. Therefore, the fire hazard of LNG is preconditioned on the LNG being released, the LNG vaporizing, mixing with air in a very narrow gas to air ratio of 5-15 percent, and finding an ignition source.

Will LNG explode?

The liquid will not burn or explode because it contains no oxygen to react with the fuel. The natural gas vapors from an LNG spill out in the open will only produce a cloud fire if they find a source of ignition. If the vapor cloud is in a confined or congested area, it can explode. The damage resulting from such an explosion depends on the size of the congested area and of the vapor cloud, when exploding under comparable situations, results in less damage then an explosion from other commonly used flammables like Liqued Petroleum Gas or gasoline.

What happened in Algeria? Could the same incident occur in North America?

The incident in Algeria was the first major incident at an LNG site in decades. The cause of this incident is still under investigation; however, liquefaction plants such as the one in Algeria use entirely different types of technology and equipment than regasification terminals such as those we are planing to build. In addition, our plants will be built to national and international safety standards that have been put in place to minimize the risk of such occurrences.

If a ship approaching the dock suffers a mechanical malfunction and releases fuel to the environment, what is the contingency plan?

Detailed spill emergency response plans will be developed to immediately contain any spill, and terminal operators will be trained on their use so that they are ready to attend to any emergency.

What is the procedure to respond to an LNG release during the process of unloading gas from the ship?

LNG loading arms in the port are equipped with automatic shut-off valves in case there is a problem during the downloading operation. The valves are designed with two additional systems to stop the LNG transfer operation and automatically disconnect from the ship. All systems will be electronically controlled for fast response and actively monitored by the terminal operator.

What happens if the pipeline is accidentally perforated and an LNG release occurs near a community?

The presence of LNG will be limited to the ships and the terminal. Once it leaves the terminal, it will be in the form of natural gas that is already transported through existing pipelines today. Our risk analysis indicates that the main hazards associated with the accidental release of LNG are fire and heat radiation. The terminal is located far from residential areas so no LNG releases should occur near a community. Any release at the terminal will be handled by emergency responders. Local authorities are part of the emergency response program that will be implemented during operations.