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88-791: Via two strategic joint ventures – Qatar Shipyard Technology Solutions (formerly N-KOM) and Qatar Fabrication Company (QFAB) – Nakilat operates the ship repair and offshore construction facilities at Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard in the State of Qatar's Port of Ras Laffan . Nakilat also provides shipping agency services through Nakilat Agency Company (NAC) for the Ports of Ras Laffan and Mesaieed and warehousing for vessels in Qatari waters via Nakilat's Vessel Support Unit (VSU). Joint venture Nakilat- SvitzerWijsmuller (NSW) offers marine support services at

176-417: A compressed natural gas (CNG) engine, the mixing of the fuel and the air is more effective since gases typically mix well in a short period of time, but at typical CNG pressures the fuel itself is less energy-dense than gasoline or diesel, so the result is a less energy-dense air–fuel mixture. For an engine of a given cylinder displacement, a normally-aspirated CNG-powered engine is typically less powerful than

264-533: A 270-metre construction hall and a 180-metre assembly workshop featuring four bays. Ras Laffan Industrial City Ras Laffan Industrial City ( Arabic : راس لفان , romanized :  Ra’s Lafān ) is a Qatari industrial hub located 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of Doha . It is administered by QatarEnergy . Ras Laffan Industrial City is Qatar's main site for production of liquefied natural gas and gas-to-liquid . It hosts among others ORYX GTL and Pearl GTL plants, QatarEnergy LNG plants, and

352-436: A facility which would meet the water cooling requirements of Ras Laffan's petrochemical industries. This project came to fruition with the launch of the facility's inaugural phase in 2003 with an hourly production capacity of 308,000 cubic meters of seawater. By 2010, the two remaining phases were completed, increasing the hourly production capacity to 937,000 cubic meters of seawater. In 2017, Qatargas and ExxonMobil launched

440-455: A gasoline or diesel engine of similar displacement. For that reason turbochargers are popular in European CNG cars. Despite that limitation, the 12-litre Cummins Westport ISX12G engine is an example of a CNG-capable engine designed to pull tractor–trailer loads up to 80,000 pounds (36,000 kg) showing CNG can be used in many on-road truck applications. The original ISX G engine incorporated

528-682: A joint venture owned 50 per cent by Nakilat and 50 per cent by Milaha. The four LPG carriers along with 14 LNG carriers are managed and operated by Nakilat Shipping Qatar Limited (NSQL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Nakilat. Nakilat operates the world-class Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard in Ras Laffan Industrial City. Inaugurated on 23 November 2010, the shipyard offers ship repair and conversion as well as offshore fabrication, repair and maintenance services via Nakilat joint-ventures, Qatar Shipyard Technology Solutions and Qatar Fabrication Company (QFAB). Qatar Shipyard Technology Solutions

616-610: A landmark agreement with Excelerate Energy USA to establish a joint-venture company and acquire a 55% interest in a Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU), the first such vessel to join the Nakilat fleet. This was the first FSRU co-owned by a Qatari company, paving the way for Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) to expand its outreach to developing and emerging markets. A FSRU act as a hub for LNG deliveries. Located in Port Qasim in Pakistan,

704-550: A large natural gas field was discovered in Algeria. International trade in LNG quickly followed as LNG was shipped to France and Great Britain from the Algerian fields. One more important attribute of LNG had now been exploited. Once natural gas was liquefied it could not only be stored more easily, but it could be transported. Thus energy could now be shipped over the oceans via LNG the same way it

792-851: A local gas source or access to pipelines. China has been a leader in the use of LNG vehicles with over 100,000 LNG-powered vehicles on the road as of Sept 2014. In the United States the beginnings of a public LNG fueling capability are being put in place. An alternative fuelling centre tracking site shows 84 public truck LNG fuel centres as of Dec 2016. It is possible for large trucks to make cross country trips such as Los Angeles to Boston and refuel at public refuelling stations every 500 miles. The 2013 National Trucker's Directory lists approximately 7,000 truckstops, thus approximately 1% of US truckstops have LNG available. While as of December 2014 LNG fuel and NGV's were not taken to very quickly within Europe and it

880-436: A moment's notice through regasification processes, and today are the main means for networks to handle local peak shaving requirements. The heating value depends on the source of gas that is used and the process that is used to liquefy the gas. The range of heating value can span ±10 to 15 percent. A typical value of the higher heating value of LNG is approximately 50 MJ/kg or 21,500 BTU/lb. A typical value of

968-527: A process for large-scale liquefaction of natural gas. The intention was to store natural gas as a liquid so it could be used for shaving peak energy loads during cold snaps. Because of large volumes it is not practical to store natural gas, as a gas, near atmospheric pressure. However, when liquefied, it can be stored in a volume 1/600th as large. This is a practical way to store it but the gas must be kept at −260 °F (−162 °C). There are two processes for liquefying natural gas in large quantities. The first

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1056-434: A proven contractor is extremely important for both investors and buyers. Gas reserves required: 1 tcf of gas required per Mtpa of LNG over 20 years. LNG is most cost efficiently produced in relatively large facilities due to economies of scale , at sites with marine access allowing regular large bulk shipments direct to market. This requires a secure gas supply of sufficient capacity. Ideally, facilities are located close to

1144-503: A receiving terminal costs $ 1 billion per 1 bcf/day throughput capacity and LNG vessels cost $ 200 million–$ 300 million. In the early 2000s, prices for constructing LNG plants, receiving terminals and vessels fell as new technologies emerged and more players invested in liquefaction and regasification. This tended to make LNG more competitive as a means of energy distribution, but increasing material costs and demand for construction contractors have put upward pressure on prices in

1232-553: A recent boom in U.S. natural gas production (2010–2014), enabled by hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"), has many of these import facilities being considered as export facilities. The first U.S. LNG export was completed in early 2016. By 2023, the U.S. had become the biggest exporter in the world, and projects already under construction or permitted would double its export capacities by 2027. The largest exporters were Cheniere Energy Inc., Freeport LNG , and Venture Global LNG Inc. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that

1320-435: A shortage of skilled labor, professional engineers, designers, managers and other white-collar professionals. Due to natural gas shortage concerns in the northeastern U.S. and surplus natural gas in the rest of the country, many new LNG import and export terminals are being contemplated in the United States. Concerns about the safety of such facilities create controversy in some regions where they are proposed. One such location

1408-430: A turbocharger), then it can produce more power than a larger one burning a less energy-dense air–fuel mixture. For high-power, high-torque engines, a fuel that creates a more energy-dense air–fuel mixture is preferred, because a smaller and simpler engine can produce the same power. With conventional gasoline and diesel engines the energy density of the air–fuel mixture is limited because the liquid fuels do not mix well in

1496-417: A vacuum system in between to reduce the amount of heat transfer. Once on site, the LNG must be stored in vacuum insulated or flat bottom storage tanks . When ready for distribution, the LNG enters a regasification facility where it is pumped into a vaporizer and heated back into gaseous form. The gas then enters the gas pipeline distribution system and is delivered to the end-user. The natural gas fed into

1584-401: A yard, and an administration building occupying an area of 46,600 square meters. Mainly, companies based in this area provide replacement and repair of damaged electrical and petrochemical-related equipment. The Port of Ras Laffan is the world's biggest petrochemicals export port, taking up a grand total of 56 square km. The first time an LNG carrier docked in the port was in 1996. In 2015,

1672-412: Is 118, with future plans to expand this with the addition of 100 beds. A mosque with a 400-worshiper capacity is also in the works. It has a 30-bed emergency building distributed over 6,000 square meters of the hospital. Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is responsible for overseeing the hospital's financing. One health clinic is in the city, and like the hospital, it too is financed by HMC. Ras Laffan

1760-505: Is a joint-venture between Nakilat and Keppel Offshore & Marine. The company offers ship repair and conversion for all types of marine vessels as well as fabrication and maintenance services for offshore and onshore structures. QFAB is a joint-venture between Nakilat and McDermott International. Located within the Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard complex in Ras Laffan Industrial City, QFAB offers services such as

1848-505: Is at significant risk of becoming stranded, as global gas risks becoming oversupplied, particularly if the United States and Canada play a larger role. The current surge in unconventional oil and gas in the U.S. has resulted in lower gas prices in the U.S. This has led to discussions in Asia' oil linked gas markets to import gas based on Henry Hub index. Recent high level conference in Vancouver,

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1936-525: Is confirmed, the buyer is obliged to take and pay for the product, or pay for it even if not taken, in what is referred to as the obligation of take-or-pay contract (TOP). In the mid-1990s, LNG was a buyer's market. At the request of buyers, the SPAs began to adopt some flexibilities on volume and price. The buyers had more upward and downward flexibilities in TOP, and short-term SPAs less than 16 years came into effect. At

2024-449: Is connected with Al Khor City through Al Huwailah Link Road. In November 2014, the 16-km road was improved by increasing it from one lane to four lanes. Liquefied natural gas Liquefied natural gas ( LNG ) is natural gas (predominantly methane , CH 4 , with some mixture of ethane , C 2 H 6 ) that has been cooled down to liquid form for ease and safety of non-pressurized storage or transport. It takes up about 1/600th

2112-525: Is cooled to temperatures at which it liquefies. This process was developed by James Joule and William Thomson and is known as the Joule–Thomson effect . Lee Twomey used the cascade process for his patents. The East Ohio Gas Company built a full-scale commercial LNG plant in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1940 just after a successful pilot plant built by its sister company, Hope Natural Gas Company of West Virginia. This

2200-479: Is in Qatar, with a total production capacity of 7.8 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). LNG is loaded onto ships and delivered to a regasification terminal, where the LNG is allowed to expand and reconvert into gas. Regasification terminals are usually connected to a storage and pipeline distribution network to distribute natural gas to local distribution companies (LDCs) or independent power plants (IPPs). Information for

2288-630: Is in the Long Island Sound between Connecticut and Long Island. Broadwater Energy , an effort of TransCanada Corp. and Shell, wishes to build an LNG import terminal in the sound on the New York side. Local politicians including the Suffolk County Executive raised questions about the terminal. In 2005, New York Senators Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton also announced their opposition to the project. Several import terminal proposals along

2376-415: Is only 60 percent that of diesel and 70 percent that of gasoline . Experiments on the properties of gases started early in the 17th century. By the middle of the seventeenth century Robert Boyle had derived the inverse relationship between the pressure and the volume of gases. About the same time, Guillaume Amontons started looking into temperature effects on gas. Various gas experiments continued for

2464-430: Is shipped around the world in specially constructed seagoing vessels . The trade of LNG is completed by signing an SPA (sale and purchase agreement) between a supplier and receiving terminal, and by signing a GSA (gas sale agreement) between a receiving terminal and end-users. Most of the contract terms used to be DES or ex ship , holding the seller responsible for the transport of the gas. With low shipbuilding costs, and

2552-625: Is the cascade process, in which the natural gas is cooled by another gas which in turn has been cooled by still another gas, hence named the "cascade" process. There are usually two cascade cycles before the liquid natural gas cycle. The other method is the Linde process , with a variation of the Linde process, called the Claude process, being sometimes used. In this process, the gas is cooled regeneratively by continually passing and expanding it through an orifice until it

2640-885: Is then condensed into a liquid at close to atmospheric pressure by cooling it to approximately −162 °C (−260 °F); maximum transport pressure is set at around 25 kPa (4 psi) ( gauge pressure ), which is about 1.25 times atmospheric pressure at sea level. The gas extracted from underground hydrocarbon deposits contains a varying mix of hydrocarbon components, which usually includes mostly methane (CH 4 ), along with ethane (C 2 H 6 ), propane (C 3 H 8 ) and butane (C 4 H 10 ). Other gases also occur in natural gas, notably CO 2 . These gases have wide-ranging boiling points and also different heating values, allowing different routes to commercialization and also different uses. The "acidic" elements such as hydrogen sulphide (H 2 S) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), together with oil, mud, water, and mercury, are removed from

2728-446: Is to simplify transport of natural gas from the source to a destination. On the large scale, this is done when the source and the destination are across an ocean from each other. It can also be used when adequate pipeline capacity is not available. For large-scale transport uses, the LNG is typically regassified at the receiving end and pushed into the local natural gas pipeline infrastructure. LNG can also be used to meet peak demand when

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2816-522: The Dolphin gas processing plant , the Laffan Refinery, and Ras Laffan A, B, and C integrated water and power plants. With an enclosed water area of approximately 4,500 hectares Ras Laffan Port is the largest artificial harbour in the world and contains the world's largest LNG export facility. The earliest-known English text to describe Ras Laffan was in the 1890 book The Persian Gulf Pilot , published by

2904-529: The Taverniera genus including aelijaan ( Taverniera spartea ) and dahseer ( Taverniera aegyptiaca ). Roughly 17 hectares of mangroves are found off the coast of Ras Laffan. In a 2010 survey of Ras Laffan's coastal waters conducted by the Qatar Statistics Authority , it was found that its maximum depth was 12.5 meters (41 ft) and minimum depth was 5 meters (16 ft). Furthermore,

2992-627: The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office . It recounts only geographic features, implying that the area was not settled at the time. In an early 1904 transcript of the Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia by John G. Lorimer , it is mentioned that a pearling bank known as Umm Al Shebh is found off the coast of Ras Laffan, although Lorimer provides no description of Ras Laffan itself. As an industrial city, Ras Laffan

3080-474: The lower heating value of LNG is 45 MJ/kg or 19,350 BTU/lb. For the purpose of comparison of different fuels, the heating value may be expressed in terms of energy per volume, which is known as the energy density expressed in MJ/litre. The density of LNG is roughly 0.41 kg/litre to 0.5 kg/litre, depending on temperature, pressure, and composition, compared to water at 1.0 kg/litre. Using

3168-576: The $ 10.4 billion Barzan Gas Project as a joint venture. Ras Laffan Emergency & Safety College is a training center for emergency professionals created to address the safety needs of the city's industrial companies. Companies providing support services to the petrochemicals in Ras Laffan have been based in the specially-designated Ras Laffan Support Services Area since its inauguration in March 2013. The area's facilities consist of three large-scale workshops,

3256-580: The FSRU unit 'Exquisite' has a capacity of 150,900 cubic meters and a peak regasification rate of 745 million cubic feet per day. Nakilat signed an agreement with McDermott to form a joint-venture (JV) company, Qatar Fabrication Company (QFAB), providing offshore and onshore fabrication services in Qatar in February 2019. This is aimed at increasing productivity levels at Nakilat's Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard and developing local construction capabilities to support

3344-489: The Japanese yen and Korean won. Since 2004, the large number of orders increased demand for shipyard slots, raising their price and increasing ship costs. The per-ton construction cost of an LNG liquefaction plant fell steadily from the 1970s through the 1990s. The cost reduced by approximately 35 percent. However, recently the cost of building liquefaction and regasification terminals doubled due to increased cost of materials and

3432-468: The LNG plant will be treated to remove water, hydrogen sulfide , carbon dioxide , benzene and other components that will freeze under the low temperatures needed for storage or be destructive to the liquefaction facility. LNG typically contains more than 90%  methane . It also contains small amounts of ethane , propane , butane , some heavier alkanes , and nitrogen. The purification process can be designed to give almost 100%  methane . One of

3520-870: The Pacific Energy Summit 2013 Pacific Energy Summit 2013 convened policy makers and experts from Asia and the U.S. to discuss LNG trade relations between these regions. Receiving terminals exist in about 40 countries, including Belgium, Chile, China, the Dominican Republic, France, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Poland, Spain, Taiwan, the UK, the US, among others. Plans exist for Bahrain, Germany, Ghana, Morocco, Philippines, Vietnam and others to also construct new receiving ( regasification ) terminals. Base load (large-scale, >1 MTPA) LNG projects require natural gas reserves, buyers and financing. Using proven technology and

3608-520: The Port of Ras Laffan and at the State of Qatar's offshore activity around Halul Island. Nakilat is the third largest owner of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers in the world, with a fleet comprising 69 LNG carriers. Its LNG carriers represent a total investment of approximately US$ 11 billion and have a combined carrying capacity of over 9 million cubic meters or about 12% of the world capacity. The vast majority of these LNG carriers are dedicated to meeting

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3696-514: The Port of Ras Laffan as well as operating in the offshore fields off Halul Island. NSW offers a range of services including towing, escorting, berthing, pilot support, line handling services afloat and ashore, emergency response, and marine maintenance support. Nakilat Agency Company Ltd. (NAC) is a shipping agency in Qatar, owned 95 per cent by Nakilat and 5 per cent by QatarEnergy. The agency provides services such as handling all port and regulatory matters for vessels loading, offloading and attending

3784-482: The Qatari coast. Nakilat's towage services are managed by Nakilat SvitzerWisjmuller (NSW), a joint venture established in 2006 between Nakilat and Svitzer Middle East Limited. The latter is part of international towage operator Svitzer, which is wholly owned by Danish shipping group A. P. Moller (Maersk). NSW operates a fleet of 26 vessels, which includes 25 NSW-owned vessels. The fleet comprises tug boats, pilot boats, line boats, crew boats and other harbor craft, based in

3872-454: The U.S. had exported 4.3 trillion cubic feet in 2023. The process begins with the pre-treatment of a feedstock of natural gas entering the system to remove impurities such as H 2 S , CO 2 , H 2 O, mercury and higher-chained hydrocarbons . Feedstock gas then enters the liquefaction unit where it is cooled to between -145 °C and -163 °C. Although the type or number of heating cycles and/or refrigerants used may vary based on

3960-507: The area surrounding the city resulting from petrochemical processing. Currently, Ras Laffan accommodates three power generation and water desalination plants, abbreviated as Ras Laffan A, B, and C (also known as Ras Qartas Energy Plant ). In 2014, Kahramaa announced a planned project which would see the desalination capacity of the plants increase from 35 million gallons of water per day to 65 million gallons per day. The project began in 2017. In 1999, QatarEnergy proposed to construct

4048-406: The buyers preferring to ensure reliable and stable supply, however, contracts with FOB terms increased. Under such terms the buyer, who often owns a vessel or signs a long-term charter agreement with independent carriers, is responsible for the transport. LNG purchasing agreements used to be for a long term with relatively little flexibility both in price and volume. If the annual contract quantity

4136-518: The coast of Maine were also met with high levels of resistance and questions. On September 13, 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy approved Dominion Cove Point 's application to export up to 770 million cubic feet per day of LNG to countries that do not have a free trade agreement with the U.S. In May 2014, the FERC concluded its environmental assessment of the Cove Point LNG project, which found that

4224-461: The completion date for the city's first liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant to convert the natural gas obtained from North Field into LNG. At first, it was estimated that only 106 square km would be needed for industrial operations. However, in 2004, this figure was more than drastically increased, to 296 square km. In March 2011, the city signed a memorandum of understanding with the Port of Rotterdam on

4312-411: The cylinder. Further, gasoline and diesel fuel have autoignition temperatures and pressures relevant to engine design. An important part of engine design is the interactions of cylinders, compression ratios, and fuel injectors such that pre-ignition is prevented but at the same time as much fuel as possible can be injected, become well mixed, and still have time to complete the combustion process during

4400-646: The downstream buyers and then sign long-term contracts (typically 20–25 years) with strict terms and structures for gas pricing. Only when the customers are confirmed and the development of a greenfield project deemed economically feasible, could the sponsors of an LNG project invest in their development and operation. Thus, the LNG liquefaction business has been limited to players with strong financial and political resources. Major international oil companies (IOCs) such as ExxonMobil , Royal Dutch Shell , BP , Chevron , TotalEnergies and national oil companies (NOCs) such as Pertamina and Petronas are active players. LNG

4488-420: The economic screening/ justification to develop new, and especially greenfield, LNG facilities challenging, even if these could be more environmentally friendly than existing facilities with all stakeholder concerns satisfied. Due to high financial risk, it is usual to contractually secure gas supply/ concessions and gas sales for extended periods before proceeding to an investment decision. The primary use of LNG

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4576-424: The fabrication, construction and assembly of offshore and onshore structures. This includes pipe fabrication, module fabrication and assembly, field as well as modular construction for onshore structures. Nakilat offers marine and support services to all types of vessels operating in Qatari waters, including at ports and terminals in Qatar. These services were established for ships requiring supplies and amenities off

4664-443: The following table is derived in part from publication by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. See also List of LNG terminals The LNG industry developed slowly during the second half of the last century because most LNG plants are located in remote areas not served by pipelines, and because of the high costs of treating and transporting LNG. Constructing an LNG plant costs at least $ 1.5 billion per 1 MTPA capacity,

4752-478: The four metros due to LNG prices decreasing. Japan, the world's largest importer of LNG, is set to begin use of LNG as a road transport fuel. Engine displacement is an important factor in the power of an internal combustion engine . Thus a 2.0 L engine would typically be more powerful than an 1.8 L engine, but that assumes a similar air–fuel mixture is used. However, if a smaller engine uses an air–fuel mixture with higher energy density (such as via

4840-474: The fuel tanks and delivery of gas to the engine, but despite these concerns the move to LNG as a transportation fuel has begun. LNG competes directly with compressed natural gas as a fuel for natural gas vehicles since the engine is identical. There may be applications where LNG trucks, buses, trains and boats could be cost-effective in order to regularly distribute LNG energy together with general freight and/or passengers to smaller, isolated communities without

4928-476: The gas source, to minimize the cost of intermediate transport infrastructure and gas shrinkage (fuel loss in transport). The high cost of building large LNG facilities makes the progressive development of gas sources to maximize facility utilization essential, and the life extension of existing, financially depreciated LNG facilities cost effective. Particularly when combined with lower sale prices due to large installed capacity and rising construction costs, this makes

5016-480: The gas to deliver a clean sweetened stream of gas. Failure to remove much or all of such acidic molecules, mercury, and other impurities could result in damage to the equipment. Corrosion of steel pipes and amalgamization of mercury to aluminum within cryogenic heat exchangers could cause expensive damage. The gas stream is typically separated into the liquefied petroleum fractions (butane and propane), which can be stored in liquid form at relatively low pressure, and

5104-453: The increasing demand for construction of offshore and onshore structures in Qatar. This new JV comes at a strategic time, with Qatar's ambition to localize its energy sector's supply chain and increase its liquefied natural gas production from 77 to 110 million tonnes per annum in the coming years. The JV company will be operated from Nakilat's shipyard in Ras Laffan Industrial City, comprising extensive fabrication areas and facilities such as

5192-585: The largest vessel management transitions with Shell, involving the transfer of management of 10 LNG carriers from Shell to NSQL. The transition was completed within a year in August 2017. In March 2019, Nakilat signed an agreement with Maran Ventures to establish a new joint venture and expand its fleet with an additional four LNG carriers that will be managed by NSQL once delivered. With the four newbuild LNG carriers added to its fleet, NSQL currently manages 18 LNG carriers and four LPG carriers. In June 2018, Nakilat signed

5280-463: The last few years. The standard price for a 125,000 cubic meter LNG vessel built in European and Japanese shipyards used to be US$ 250 million. When Korean and Chinese shipyards entered the race, increased competition reduced profit margins and improved efficiency—reducing costs by 60 percent. Costs in US dollars also declined due to the devaluation of the currencies of the world's largest shipbuilders:

5368-430: The lighter ethane and methane fractions. These lighter fractions of methane and ethane are then liquefied to make up the bulk of LNG that is shipped. Natural gas was considered during the 20th century to be economically unimportant wherever gas-producing oil or gas fields were distant from gas pipelines or located in offshore locations where pipelines were not viable. In the past this usually meant that natural gas produced

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5456-527: The management and operations of Nakilat's four LPG carriers was transferred from Shell to Nakilat Shipping Qatar Limited (NSQL). In 2014 NSQL assumed ship management responsibility for the four Nakilat / OSG Q-Flex LNG vessels in a challenging timeframe, commencing in February and completing in July of the same year, bringing the number of gas vessels fully managed by NSQL to eight. As part of the company's long-term strategic vision for growth, Nakilat then undertook one of

5544-428: The median value of 0.45 kg/litre, the typical energy density values are 22.5 MJ/litre (based on higher heating value) or 20.3 MJ/litre (based on lower heating value). The volumetric energy density of LNG is approximately 2.4 times that of compressed natural gas (CNG), which makes it economical to transport natural gas by ship in the form of LNG. The energy density of LNG is comparable to propane and ethanol but

5632-557: The next 15 years new research on low-temperature alloys, and better insulation materials, set the stage for a revival of the industry. It restarted in 1959 when a U.S. World War II Liberty ship , the Methane Pioneer , converted to carry LNG, made a delivery of LNG from the U.S. Gulf Coast to energy-starved Great Britain. In June 1964, the world's first purpose-built LNG carrier, the Methane Princess , entered service. Soon after that

5720-532: The next 200 years. During that time there were efforts to liquefy gases. Many new facts about the nature of gases were discovered. For example, early in the nineteenth century Cagniard de la Tour showed there was a temperature above which a gas could not be liquefied. There was a major push in the mid to late nineteenth century to liquefy all gases. A number of scientists including Michael Faraday , James Joule , and William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) did experiments in this area. In 1886 Karol Olszewski liquefied methane,

5808-530: The normal pipeline infrastructure can meet most demand needs, but not the peak demand needs. These plants are typically called LNG Peak Shaving Plants as the purpose is to shave off part of the peak demand from what is required out of the supply pipeline. LNG can be used to fuel internal combustion engines. LNG is in the early stages of becoming a mainstream fuel for transportation needs. It is being evaluated and tested for over-the-road trucking, off-road, marine, and train applications. There are known problems with

5896-573: The occasion of an official visit by Queen Beatrix to Qatar. Qatargas announced in May 2019 that the company's Ras Laffan terminal received its 10,000th non-LNG related shipment. Ras Laffan is located at a very low elevation and has sandy soils. It is 50 miles (80 km) north of the capital Doha and 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Ras Rakan . There is a reef off the coast. Together with Fuwayrit , Ras Laffan accommodates approximately 30% of all sea turtle nests in Qatar. The area has been noted for

5984-453: The port had the capacity to dock 200 tankers annually. Named after the legendary Arab pirate Rahmah ibn Jabir al-Jalahimah , the Erhama bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard occupies 110 hectares and is used by Nakilat Damen Shipyards Qatar . The city is served by Ras Laffan Hospital, which is spread over 200,000 square meters and features four levels, including an underground level. The bed capacity

6072-425: The power stroke. Natural gas does not auto-ignite at pressures and temperatures relevant to conventional gasoline and diesel engine design, so it allows more flexibility in design. Methane, the main component of natural gas, has an autoignition temperature of 580 °C (1,076 °F), whereas gasoline and diesel autoignite at approximately 250 °C (482 °F) and 210 °C (410 °F) respectively. With

6160-659: The presence of the rough-tailed gecko as well as communal nesting sites. Common vegetation found in Ras Laffan includes arfaj ( Rhanterium epapposum ), rak ( Salvadora persica ), desert thumbs ( Cynomorium coccineum ), ndeewa ( Cressa cretica ), rukbah ( Cyperus jeminicus ) near the coast, incense grass ( Cymbopogon commutatus ) in sandy depressions , kebaisha ( Erodium glaucophyllum ), reeds ( Phragmites australis ) in wet areas, ja'ad ( Teucrium polium ), nafayj ( Pulicaria gnaphalodes ), and stoneseed ( Echiochilon jugatum ). Other common vegetation found in Ras Laffan include mature shrubs of

6248-472: The primary constituent of natural gas. By 1900 all gases had been liquefied except helium , which was liquefied in 1908. The first large-scale liquefaction of natural gas in the U.S. was in 1918 when the U.S. government liquefied natural gas as a way to extract helium, which is a small component of some natural gas. This helium was intended for use in British dirigibles for World War I. The liquid natural gas (LNG)

6336-452: The proposed natural gas export project could be built and operated safely. Another LNG terminal is currently proposed for Elba Island , Georgia, US. Plans for three LNG export terminals in the U.S. Gulf Coast region have also received conditional Federal approval. In Canada, an LNG export terminal is under construction near Guysborough , Nova Scotia. In the commercial development of an LNG value chain, LNG suppliers first confirm sales to

6424-480: The risks of LNG is a rapid phase transition explosion (RPT), which occurs when cold LNG comes into contact with water . The most important infrastructure needed for LNG production and transportation is an LNG plant consisting of one or more LNG trains, each of which is an independent unit for gas liquefaction and purification. A typical train consists of a compression area, propane condenser area, and methane and ethane areas. The largest LNG train in operation

6512-458: The same time, alternative destinations for cargo and arbitrage were also allowed. By the turn of the 21st century, the market was again in favor of sellers. However, sellers have become more sophisticated and are now proposing sharing of arbitrage opportunities and moving away from S-curve pricing. Research from Global Energy Monitor in 2019 warned that up to US$ 1.3 trillion in new LNG export and import infrastructure currently under development

6600-715: The shipyard at the Port of Ras Laffan. These services include agency and logistics support, global hub agency, husbandry, bunker coordination, provision of spares and suppliers, crew change and administration, drydocking support and facilitating customs formalities. As of 31 December 2019, the major shareholders of the company are: QatarEnergy (0.9%), Blackrock Funds (1.2%), Qatar Insurance Company (1.5%), Vanguard Funds (1.7%), Woqod Group [Woqod](1.7%), Qatar Electricity & Water Company (2.0%), Qatar Pension Fund [Military] (2.2%), QNB Funds (4.1%), Foreign shareholders (11.7%), Qatar Pension Fund [Civil] (11.7%), Qatari Shareholders (25.1%), Milaha (36.2%). In June 2012, full responsibility for

6688-654: The technology, the basic process involves circulating the gas through aluminum tube coils and exposure to a compressed refrigerant. As the refrigerant is vaporized, the heat transfer causes the gas in the coils to cool. The LNG is then stored in a specialized double-walled insulated tank at atmospheric pressure ready to be transported to its final destination. Most domestic LNG is transported by land via truck/trailer designed for cryogenic temperatures. Intercontinental LNG transport travels by special tanker ships. LNG transport tanks comprise an internal steel or aluminum compartment and an external carbon or steel compartment with

6776-533: The tools required to commercialize natural gas into a global market which now competes with other fuels. Furthermore, the development of LNG storage also introduced a reliability in networks which was previously thought impossible. Given that storage of other fuels is relatively easily secured using simple tanks, a supply for several months could be kept in storage. With the advent of large-scale cryogenic storage, it became possible to create long term gas storage reserves. These reserves of liquefied gas could be deployed at

6864-545: The transportation requirements of Qatar's massive LNG industry. Most of Nakilat's vessels are employed through long-term time charter agreements with local gas producer Qatargas, while the remainder of the fleet is utilized in international shipping markets. Its jointly owned LNG carriers are operated by the vessel's co-owners. In addition to the 69 LNG carriers, Nakilat jointly owns one Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) with Excelerate Energy USA and four very large liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers through Gulf LPG,

6952-458: The volume of natural gas in the gaseous state at standard conditions for temperature and pressure . LNG is odorless , colorless , non-toxic and non-corrosive . Hazards include flammability after vaporization into a gaseous state, freezing and asphyxia . The liquefaction process involves removal of certain components, such as dust, acid gases , helium , water, and heavy hydrocarbons , which could cause difficulty downstream. The natural gas

7040-409: The waters had an average pH of 8.05, a salinity of 46.94 psu, an average temperature of 24.6 °C and 6.86 mg/L of dissolved oxygen. Laffan Environmental Society is an environmental NGO formed as a joint partnership between QatarEnergy Industrial Cities and several other large companies operating in Ras Laffan. It was established as a response to calls for improved environmental management in

7128-531: The year 2015, India also began transporting LNG using LNG-powered road tankers in Kerala state. In 2017, Petronet LNG began setting up 20 LNG stations on highways along the Indian west coast that connect Delhi with Thiruvananthapuram covering a total distance of 4,500 km via Mumbai and Bengaluru. In 2020, India planned to install 24 LNG fuelling stations along the 6,000 km Golden Quadrilateral highways connecting

7216-427: Was commissioned in 1996. The purpose of its founding was to host petrochemical facilities for the natural gas obtained from North Field . The North Field, found in 1971, is the world's biggest natural gas field, occupying an offshore area of roughly 6,000 square km; more than half the size of the State of Qatar. North Field contains over 900 trillion tcsf of recoverable gas. Ras Laffan's commissioning in 1996 marks

7304-442: Was not stored, but regasified and immediately put into the gas mains. The key patents having to do with natural gas liquefaction date from 1915 and the mid-1930s. In 1915 Godfrey Cabot patented a method for storing liquid gases at very low temperatures. It consisted of a Thermos bottle -type design which included a cold inner tank within an outer tank; the tanks being separated by insulation. In 1937 Lee Twomey received patents for

7392-537: Was questionable whether LNG will ever become the fuel of choice among fleet operators, recent trends from 2018 onwards show different prospect. During the year 2015, the Netherlands introduced LNG-powered trucks in transport sector. Additionally, the Australian government is planning to develop an LNG highway to utilise the locally produced LNG and replace the imported diesel fuel used by interstate haulage vehicles. In

7480-481: Was regasified and put into the mains when cold snaps hit and extra capacity was needed. This precluded the denial of gas to some customers during a cold snap. The Cleveland plant failed on October 20, 1944, when the cylindrical tank ruptured, spilling thousands of gallons of LNG over the plant and nearby neighborhood. The gas evaporated and caught fire, which caused 130 fatalities. The fire delayed further implementation of LNG facilities for several years. However, over

7568-485: Was shipped in the form of oil. The LNG industry in the U.S. restarted in 1965 with the building of a number of new plants, which continued through the 1970s. These plants were not only used for peak-shaving, as in Cleveland, but also for base-load supplies for places that never had natural gas before this. A number of import facilities were built on the East Coast in anticipation of the need to import energy via LNG. However,

7656-400: Was the first such plant in the world. Originally it had three spheres, approximately 63 feet in diameter containing LNG at −260 °F. Each sphere held the equivalent of about 50 million cubic feet of natural gas. A fourth tank, a cylinder, was added in 1942. It had an equivalent capacity of 100 million cubic feet of gas. The plant operated successfully for three years. The stored gas

7744-424: Was typically flared , especially since unlike oil, no viable method for natural gas storage or transport existed other than compressed gas pipelines to end users of the same gas. This meant that natural gas markets were historically entirely local, and any production had to be consumed within the local or regional network. Developments of production processes, cryogenic storage, and transportation effectively created

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