Natural gas is a clean-burning fuel that can be used for electricity generation and heating. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) processing makes natural gas even cleaner. Because the liquification process requires many of the impurities in natural gas to be removed, LNG that is re-gasified produces a cleaner-burning gas than the gas that is simply taken from the ground. Today, many vehicles in the U.S. are being built or adapted for use with LNG or compressed natural gas (CNG), which can be produced from LNG and natural gas. Natural gas vehicles help reduce emissions from buses, and light-duty vehicles. Encouraging the importation of LNG will have several beneficial environmental side effects. LNG offers significant environmental benefits. For example, much natural gas found in conjunction with oil and coal in non-gas consuming countries is flared or vented because it cannot be brought to local markets profitably. Not only does this waste the resource, it causes environmental damage. Additionally, LNG itself is a relatively environmentally-safe substance. LNG, if spilled or leaked, will cause no land or water damage. It simply evaporates into the atmosphere. Most importantly, LNG is safe for the California Coast. Due to the safety regulations and construction standards, LNG facilities have a smaller impact on the environment than is generally believed by the public. In addition, the safety record of LNG tankers indicates that no major release of LNG into the environment has occurred. Natural gas also plays an important role in the production of hydrogen fuel, which is amost promising environmentally-friendly form of energy generation in the future. However, hydrogen does not occur naturally in nature, but attaches itself to other molecules, as with oxygen in water, and therefore must be produced. There are currently several methods of doing this, with a process known as “reformation of natural gas” as the most common and least expensive. Therefore, natural gas also will likely play a key role in bringing this environmentally-friendly energy source to market. For more information, please visit the following sites: Natural Gas and the Environment
LNG Import Terminals: Siting, Safety and Regulation