Uncountable economic advantages on LNG. A Case study Tanzania

LNG brought revolution in Petroleum industry

Written by Renatus Mahuyu

                Msc Oil and Natural Gas Engineering

                Mineral Resources Institute-DODOMA

               +255713749188/+255757728630

Historical

Since 17^th Century Robert Boyles experimented on the properties of gases where he derived the inverse relationship between the pressure and the volume of gases, respectively Guillaume Amontons also investigated on the effects of temperature on gas.

In 1886 Karol Olszewski liquefied methane, the primary constituent of natural gas. By 1900 all gases had been liquefied except helium which was liquefied in 1908

By definitions

LNG is the acronym for liquefied natural gas, where Natural gas is 95% methane. Natural gas is actually the cleanest fossil fuel in the global where during combustion of natural gas only water vapor and small amounts of carbon dioxide is emitted, about 30 to 50%lower than other combustible fuel like diesel and coal.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas that has been cooled down to liquid form for ease and safety of non-pressurized storage or transport. It takes up about 1/600th the volume of natural gas in the gaseous state (at standard conditions for temperature and pressure)

In other word it is a size down process where large quantity is sized down by changing temperature and maintain it, just for storage and transportation purpose.

Once it has been liquefied, very large quantities of Liquefied Natural Gas can be stored and transported in LNG tanker ships. The cargo is transported in thermally insulated tanks, specially designed to maintain the natural gas in liquid form at -160°C.

Why natural gas is liquefied.?

Many people in need of energy are located far from gas fields, making pipelines too impractical or costly to build. To get around this problem, gas can be cooled to make a liquid, shrinking its volume for easier, safer storage and shipping overseas.

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) was developed in 1964 as a solution to this problem.

With LNG, gas is liquefied and transported internationally via tankers and then regasified into its original state for distribution and sale.

Additionally, the hydrocarbon takes up significantly less space as a liquid than a gas; LNG is approximately 1/600th the volume of the same amount of natural gas.

LNG is an economical transport and storage method

Natural gas is extracted from fields located predominantly in rural areas either offshore or onshore. The distance between the natural gas field environment and the markets areas means that it is not always possible to transport the natural gas produced via gas pipelines; in this case, the easiest and most economical alternative is to ship it by sea in LNG tankers.

To enable maritime transport, the natural gas is cooled down by means of a refrigerated cycle (compression, condensation, expansion, evaporation) that transforms the gas into a liquid form at -160°C: this is known as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

Processes for liquefying gas

There are about two processes for liquefying natural gas in large quantities.

1.    Cascade process

2.    Linde process

Tanzania rich in Natural Gas and its future benefits with LNG Plant.

Tanzania is among of the countries having discovered a huge reserve of natural gas approximately 57 tcf up to 2016 over different part of the country, despite, there is large area which is under explorations of natural gas, it promises that there will be more discovery to the coming years.

Despite of the country plans on utilizing these natural resources as energy source in industrialization, home uses and construction of CNG filling stations another utilization plans of the discovered natural gas resources is through exporting it to different countries.

When it comes to export Natural gas, the easiest and economical way to transport natural gas is through building a LNG PLANT, where large amount of natural gas can be transported in small quantity as inform of liquid state.

Under a good governance of our Excellence President Dr SAMIA SULUHU HASSAN, Tanzania government in collaboration with different oil companies proposed to build a liquefaction facility in Lindi by 2024.

Excellence President DR SAMIA SULUHU HASSAN

Natural gas uses in compliance with environmental protection standards

In the context of the current energy transition sought by the European Commission, it represents an excellent alternative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help combat global warming. By developing the use of LNG - particularly for industry and transport – aims to actively contribute to protecting the environment.

Natural gas makes it possible to comply with the new environmental standards. Compared with diesel, natural gas fuel represents the following reductions:

• a 25% reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2),
• an 80% reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx),
• a 97% reduction in carbon monoxide (CO) emissions.

Next Article Will Be on HOW NATURAL GAS IS TRANSFORMED INTO ENERGY FOR INDUSTRIAL AND DOMESTIC USES.

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www.petrotraining.wordpress.com

Written by Renatus Mahuyu

                Msc Oil and Natural Gas Engineering

                Mineral Resources Institute-DODOMA

                Petroleum 

                www.renatusmahuyu.blogspot.com

                www.petrotraining.wordpress.com

               +255713749188/+255757728630