Safety and Security
LNG HAS A PROVEN SAFETY RECORD
LNG is transported many miles as it crosses the ocean, transferred to storage tanks, converted back to natural gas and then sent to market. The LNG industry has spent a considerable amount of time analyzing and assessing the hazards along the way and has either eliminated or developed mitigation techniques to reduce risks. As a result, in more than 50 years of commercial LNG use, no major accidents or safety or security problems have occurred, either in port or at sea.
The LNG industry carefully follows requirements set forth by the International Maritime Organization, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Coast Guard and works closely with the Department of Homeland Security to ensure its operations are safe and secure.
The LNG Industry provides the appropriate security, planning, prevention and mitigation in close coordination with local, state, and federal authorities, including the United States Coast Guard. These measures significantly reduce risks from intentional events such as terrorist attacks.
The U.S. Coast Guard determines the suitability of every LNG ship that delivers cargoes to the United States through a rigorous annual inspection. If the ship fails the inspection, all deficiencies must be fixed before it can unload its LNG or leave the country. LNG ships are issued with a Certificate of Compliance by the U.S. Coast Guard to state that they are in complete compliance with U.S. regulations.
Risks resulting from intentional events such as terrorist attacks, can be greatly reduced with the appropriate security, planning, mitigation, and prevention. The LNG industry has these precautions in place.
LNG IS NOT EXPLOSIVE
Contrary to some misconceptions, LNG is not stored under pressure and when vaporized it is not explosive in an uncontained environment. According to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), although a large amount of energy is stored in LNG, it cannot be released rapidly enough to cause the overpressures associated with an explosion. LNG vapors (methane) mixed with air are not explosive in an unconfined environment.
Should a tank ever fail and a leak result, fire is possible, but only if there is the right concentration of LNG vapor in the air and a source of ignition. This concentration is a mixture containing 5% – 15% of natural gas in the air. FERC regulations also require safety zones around LNG facilities. Setback distances for onshore LNG terminals must be great enough so that flammable vapors will not reach the facilities' property lines and a potential fire will not impact those beyond the property lines.