• Blog
  • Manuals
  • Company
  • Quality
  • Services
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Request a Quote
Keystone Energy ToolsKeystone Energy ToolsKeystone Energy ToolsKeystone Energy Tools
  • Handling Tools
    • Beckets & Bails
    • Bowls & Spiders
      • Bowls
      • Spiders and API Bowls
    • Elevators
      • Square Shoulder Elevators
      • Bottleneck Elevators
      • Slip Type Elevators
      • Slim Hole Slip Type Elevators
      • Side Door Elevators
      • Single Joint Elevators
        • Double Pin Single Joint Elevator
        • Double Latch Single Joint Elevator
      • Dual Tool Elevator-Spider
    • Pipe Jacks and Rollers
    • Rotating Mouse-Hole Tool
    • Safety Clamps
    • Slip Lifting Device
    • Slips
      • Rotary Slips
      • Drill Collar Slips
      • Casing Slips
    • Stabbing Guides
    • Tong Blocks
    • Tubing Tongs
  • Valves
    • Baffle Plates
    • Dual Flapper Check Valves
    • Drill Pipe Float Valves
      • Flapper Style Float Valves
      • Plunger Style Float Valves
    • Float Valve Pullers
    • Mud Screens
    • Repair Kits
      • Plunger Style Repair Kits
      • Flapper Style Repair Kits
  • Inserts & Dies
    • Elevator Inserts
    • Slip Inserts
    • Tong Dies
    • Coil Tubing Inserts
    • Key Grit Inserts
  • Safety Products
    • Safety Flex Handles
    • Safety Stands
    • Tong Die Drivers
    • Tong Safety Handles
  • PRODUCT CATALOG

Louisiana LNG Facility Pioneers Natural Gas Exports

By Faith Munsell | Uncategorized | Comments are Closed | 25 January, 2018 | 0

In case you haven’t heard, natural gas production in the United States has shot up in recent years and is expected to keep climbing.

New drilling techniques such as hydraulic fracturing (fracking) have made us the world’s top producer of natural gas. Additionally, new processes for shipping liquefied natural gas (LNG) could make the U.S. a bigger player in international natural-gas markets in the years to come.

This “shale revolution” (and the possibility of it expanding into new markets) is, in many ways, starting here in Keystone Energy Tools’ backyard. That’s because, at present, only one U.S. LNG export facility is fully operational — Cheniere Energy’s Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana. In this article, we’ll talk about how other the construction of facilities should help the domestic energy market spread to China (and other trade partners) in the years to come.

The LNG Market Oversupply

2018 got off to a cold start in much of the country, so naturally, the demand for natural gas for heating went up. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in the first week of January, America shattered its previous record for natural gas consumption, pulling 359 billion cubic feet of natural gas from storage to meet demand.

Overall, however, domestic gas production is outpacing domestic demand, and we have too much unsold gas in storage. At the Sabine Pass LNG terminal, located on over 1,000 acres along the Sabine Pass River in Cameron Parish, some 3 billion cubic feet of natural gas is liquefied and exported daily. Such exports are helping us turn our oversupply into profit, but it’s not enough now, and it won’t be enough in the days to come.

Domestic LNG processing is set to explode in the next few years, but the facilities needed to export them aren’t there yet – except for the one in Louisiana. LNG plants like Sabine Pass are made up of trains, which are liquefaction facilities used to “supercool” natural gas for transport on ships (LNG is natural gas cooled to liquid form). In October, Sabine Pass added a fourth train, boosting output by a third.

Another terminal is scheduled to open soon on Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay, and at least three other terminals in Georgia, Texas and Louisiana are expected to be online by 2019. By then, the U.S. LNG capacity will be the third largest in the world.

Still, unless Congress passes legislation to expedite the process, the United States will find itself at a competitive disadvantage with other LNG exporters (including Australia, Malaysia, Qatar and Russia). Regulatory roadblocks have hampered the construction of more LNG facilities – facilities that could answer the growing demand for America’s natural gas supply.

New Opportunity in China

In 2017, China became the world’s second-biggest importer of liquefied natural gas (behind Japan and just ahead of Korea). The demand was fueled by China’s growing interest in switching from coal to cleaner natural gas for its domestic energy need. Just as the shift from coal to natural gas has done in the U.S., China’s gasification program is intended to improve environmental conditions there.

China’s demand for natural gas is expected to reach 330 billion cubic meters in 2020, up from 206 billion last year, and the United States is well-positioned to capture a significant share of that rising demand. Assuming we can build out the infrastructure that is needed.

What Will It Take?

The U.S. is now a net exporter of natural gas (meaning we export more than we use) for the first time in 60years. U.S. LNG exports would help diversify world energy supplies and enhance global energy security. Clearing the path to the world’s fastest-growing LNG markets (in China and elsewhere) would show that the United States is committed to its role as a global energy leader.

What is needed to turn America’s massive shale-gas supply into a commodity exported to China and other markets? Aside from more export facilities, we need to help countries build the regasification and distribution facilities they need to import our LNG. One encouraging trend gaining traction is regasification facilities on ships. These ships can go to wherever the purchasing country has constructed its pipeline network and make it easier for U.S. producers to make inroads into new international markets.

LNG Frequently Asked Questions (courtesy of Cheniere Energy)

What is LNG?

LNG is liquefied natural gas (methane) that has been cooled to an extremely cold temperature (-260° F/ -162.2° C). At standard atmospheric conditions, methane is a vapor, not to be confused with gasoline, which is a liquid.

How is LNG shipped?

Specially designed ships are used to transport LNG to U.S. terminals. They have double hulls and are constructed of specialized materials that are capable of safely storing LNG at temperatures of -260° F/ -162.2° C.

Where do ships unload LNG?

Ships unload LNG at specially designed terminals where the LNG is pumped from the ship to insulated storage tanks at the terminal. LNG is also converted back to gas at the terminal, which is connected to natural gas pipelines that transport the gas to where it is needed. Specially designed trucks may also be used to deliver LNG to other storage facilities in different locations.

How is LNG stored?

LNG is stored in double-walled, insulated tanks that are designed to prevent any gas from escaping. There is also a dike or impounding wall around the tank that is capable of containing the entire volume of the tank, in the unlikely event of a spill. This would prevent any LNG from flowing off the site.

Is LNG explosive?

In its liquid state, LNG is not explosive. When LNG is heated and becomes a gas, the gas is not explosive if it is unconfined. Natural gas is only flammable within a narrow range of concentrations in the air (5% to 15%). Less air does not contain enough oxygen to sustain a flame, while more air dilutes the gas too much for it to ignite.

How is public safety addressed?

In the event of a spill, LNG vapors will disperse with the prevailing wind. Cold LNG vapor will appear as a white cloud. To keep the public safe, flammable vapor (gas) dispersion exclusion zones are established for LNG facilities.

Fire protection equipment is paramount to safety in the event of a LNG fire. If LNG is spilled in the presence of a flame, a localized fire will result. Since this fire would burn with intense heat, thermal exclusion zones are also established.  Flammable vapor and thermal exclusion zones are determined to keep the public at a safe distance from LNG facilities.

How are LNG tankers and facilities being kept secure?

Security measures for land-based LNG facilities and onshore portions of marine terminals are required by U.S. Department of Transportation regulations. Examples of these requirements include security patrols, protective enclosures, lighting, monitoring equipment, and alternative power sources. Interstate natural gas companies receive security updates and alerts on a regular basis from federal agencies, including the FBI.

No tags.

Related Post

  • Keystone Slip Type Elevators

    By Joe Ramey | Comments are Closed

    Keystone slip type elevators hold and hoist tools for handling drill pipes, small casing and tubing in oil drilling and well tripping operations. While slip-type elevators may be used for any length of tubing string,Read more

  • Keystone Tubing Elevators

    By Faith Munsell | Comments are Closed

    Slip-type tubing elevators hold and hoist tubing for completion and production operations. They are especially suitable for the hoisting of integral joint tubing. Keystone slip-type tubing elevators come in four types: the 20-ton “LYT”, 40-tonRead more

  • Quality Elevators? What Makes Them Better?

    By Bizzuka Administrator | Comments are Closed

    Keystone Energy Tools manufactures its Elevators to meet or exceed the American Petroleum Institute’s 8C Specifications standard. Keystone Energy Tools is licensed under API spec 8C to manufacture elevators. This means that all of ourRead more

  • How to Pick the Right Oilfield Work Boot

    By Faith Munsell | Comments are Closed

    Life on an oil rig can be tough enough without footwear that lacks the comfort, protection and durability to handle the rigorous demands placed on the wearer day-in and day-out. Just like other forms of personal protective equipment (PPE) — hard hats, eyeRead more

  • Tubing Tongs for Efficient Makeup and Breakout Operations

    By Faith Munsell | Comments are Closed

    Hydraulic and pneumatic power tongs include drill pipe tongs, casing tongs and tubing tongs. With all types, your crew needs safe, efficient, reliable performance with a good torque-to-weight ratio. Here’s a little more info about different rig tongs: Drill Pipe Tongs: Used to screw industrial tubular together to form a drillRead more

  • Product Quote Request
    Select Product(s) from Any Product Page to Build Custom Quote Request Below.

  • Contact Information

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Quick Links

  • Download Product Catalog
  • Handling Tools
  • Safety Products
  • Company
  • Services
  • Product Blogs
  • Blog

Blog

  • Keystone Slip Type Elevators
  • Keystone Tubing Elevators
  • Quality Elevators? What Makes Them Better?

Contact

Get Directions















Add Waypoint



show options


hide options





Print directions


Reset directions

Fetching directions......

Reset directions

Print directions

3711 Melancon Road
Broussard, LA 70518
[P] 337-365-4411
[F] 337-365-4456

© Copyright 2022, Keystone Energy Tools LLC. All rights reserved. Designed and Developed by
  • PRODUCT CATALOG
  • Request A Quote
  • Keystone Quality
  • Handling Tools
    • Beckets & Bails
    • Bowls & Spiders
      • Bowls
      • Spiders and API Bowls
    • Elevators
      • Square Shoulder Elevators
      • Bottleneck Elevators
      • Slip Type Elevators
      • Slim Hole Slip Type Elevators
      • Side Door Elevators
      • Single Joint Elevators
    • Pipe Jacks and Rollers
    • Rotating Mouse-Hole Tool
    • Safety Clamps
    • Slip Lifting Device
    • Slips
      • Rotary Slips
      • Drill Collar Slips
      • Casing Slips
    • Stabbing Guides
    • Tong Blocks
    • Tubing Tongs
  • Inserts & Dies
    • Elevator Inserts
    • Slip Inserts
    • Tong Dies
    • Coil Tubing Inserts
  • Safety Products
    • Safety Flex Handles
    • Safety Stands
    • Tong Die Drivers
    • Tong Safety Handles
  • Valves
    • Baffle Plates
    • Dual Flapper Check Valves
    • Drill Pipe Float Valves
      • Flapper-Type Float Valves
      • Plunger-Type Float Valves
    • Float Valve Pullers
    • Mud Screens
  • Company
  • Services
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Product Blogs
Keystone Energy Tools