As a liquid, LNG cannot explode or burn. If LNG is spilled, the resulting LNG vapor will warm, become lighter than air and disperse with the prevailing wind. Although LNG is colorless, should it be released into the air, the cold vapor would appear as a white cloud. The lighter-than-air property of LNG actually makes it less hazardous than some other fuels, such as propane or butane whose gases are heavier than air and tend to settle closer to the ground.
In gaseous form, LNG vapor can burn only if it is released into the air and mixes with the correct proportion of air (5 to 15 percent). Too little air, and there is not enough oxygen to sustain a flame. Too much air and the natural gas is diluted too much to ignite.
Security measures for land-based LNG facilities and onshore portions of marine terminals are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Department of Transportation. Examples of these requirements include security patrols, protective enclosures, lighting, monitoring equipment, and alternative power sources.
Security measures for the offshore portions of marine terminals are regulated by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard prevents other ships from getting near LNG tankers while in transit or docked at a terminal.
The LNG industry has a proven safety record with 40 years of shipping LNG over the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans with no major incidences involving LNG ships or their cargo. The LNG facilities located on land are subject to stringent rules, regulations, and environmental standards.
To further address LNG safety issues, the Department of Energy recently asked its Sandia National Laboratory to examine LNG safety, particularly issues related to transportation. Sandia's report to the Department was completed in December 2004 and is now available. To read the report, click here.
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