Liquefied natural gas: safety issues, public concerns, and decision making

Natural gas is an important, widely used fossil fuel which is convenient and relatively non-polluting. Because U.S. domestic suppliers have been declining since 1972, suppliers have sought to import additional gas in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is 1/600 the volume of natural gas and is therefore convenient for transportation and storage. If present plans and proposals pending approval are implemented, there will be a rapid increase in the use of liquefied natural gas in the United States. The facilities required include liquefaction plants, large ocean-going tankers, import-receiving terminals, storage depots, and gas-transmission pipelines. A description is presented of the risks and impacts presented by LNG operations in the near future. The safety issues are summarized and the origins of public concern in two LNG facilities siting disputes are examined. Some of the important criteria that need to be evaluated for responsible decision making are suggested. On balance, the overall risks of LNG supply systems are probably less than those of some energy systems now in use. Nevertheless, continued attention to the potential risks is needed to ensure that this remains true.