LNG Transportation Means and Their Characteristics

As a kind of clean and high efficient fuel, world LNG industry has got a great development in recent years. As a key link in the LNG supply chain, transportation has a critical influence on the economy of the supply and consumption. Three transportation means, LNG Pipeline Transportation (LNGPT), LNG Tanker Transporting (LNGTT) and LNG Ocean Shipping (LNGOS), and their characteristics are discussed respectively. The feasibilities in technology and economy of LNG pipeline dense-phase transmission are discussed emphatically. Each lines of the LNGTT chain, including gas pretreatment and liquefactions, storage, transportation and gasification are introduced, and the existing problems are also pointed out. And LNG ocean trade and LNGOS are presented, and the world liquefaction plants, shipping technology, China LNG terminal construction are analyzed respectively. Finally the paper presents that China cannot develop its gas market in the absence of a well-defined national energy policy. With the national energy policy's establishment and Gongdong and Fujian LNG projects' construction, China LNG industry will has a very wide prospect.