Gas energy transmission
Gas energy transmission refers to the methods used to transport natural gas from production sites to consumers, primarily through pipelines. Pipelines have been the predominant means of moving large volumes of gas over long distances since their inception in the late 19th century. The infrastructure for gas transmission is extensive, with the United States alone boasting over 305,000 miles of pipelines, and Europe also equipped with significant networks, particularly through companies like Gazprom.
Technological advancements have facilitated the construction of pipelines in challenging environments, such as subsea routes. However, when gas reserves are too remote for economical pipeline construction, alternatives like liquefied natural gas (LNG) and gas-to-liquids (GTL) processes become viable. LNG involves converting gas to a liquid for shipping, while GTL transforms gas into liquid fuels and chemicals, requiring sophisticated technology and investment. Additionally, gas can be used directly for power generation, presenting an option to build localized power plants that reduce the need for extensive transmission infrastructure. Other emerging methods include compressed natural gas (CNG) transport and experimental gas-to-solid technologies. Overall, the transmission of gas energy is a critical component of the global energy landscape, influencing trade and energy security.
Subject Terms
Gas energy transmission
Summary: Pipelines are the principal means for transporting large quantities of gas over long distances. Currently, the most important alternatives to pipelines involve conversions to liquefied natural gas (LNG) and from gas to liquids (GTL).
Pipelines have been a proven method for gas transmission for more than a century. The first significant long-distance gas pipeline was built in 1891. It was 120 miles long and connected gas fields in Indiana to customers in Chicago. Technological improvements in metallurgy, welding, construction methods, compressors, control systems, corrosion management, and other operations have made pipelines over longer distances feasible.
Today, the United States has more than 305,000 miles of transmission pipelines. Europe also has an extensive gas infrastructure that delivers gas from Russia, the North Sea, and North Africa. Gazprom, the Russian state-owned company, operates more than 276,510 miles of pipeline in Europe and Asia.
In the 1970s, it became possible to install pipelines on the seabed over long distances using specialized vessels. This allowed the development of offshore oil and gas reservoirs (such as in the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico), as well as increased international trade in gas. A recent example is the 745-miles-long Langeled Pipeline, which connects the Ormen Lange gas field in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea to an onshore terminal in the eastern coast of England.
Significant gas reserves can be stranded if they are too far from the market, and it is not economical to construct a pipeline. An alternative method for transporting gas over long distances is to convert the gas to liquid, ship the liquid using specialized vessels, convert the liquid back to gas, and finally deliver the gas to end users through conventional pipelines.
In 1959, the Methane Pioneer delivered a shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) across the Atlantic from Louisiana to the United Kingdom. By the mid-1970s, LNG projects were operational in Brunei (exporting to Japan), Algeria, and Libya (both exporting to Europe). Today, there are 15 LNG-exporting countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Australia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Libya, and Russia. LNG projects are capital intensive and are economical only for large gas reservoirs.
Gas to Liquids (GTL)
The conversion of gas to liquid fuels and specialty chemicals (naphtha, kerosene, gas oil, detergent feedstock, and waxes) requires complex technology and expensive infrastructure. Although the basic technology for the gas-to-liquids (GTL) process was developed in the 1920s, it has taken many decades to apply it at a commercial scale. Shell’s Bintulu GTL plant (supplied from gas fields in offshore Sarawak) has been operating in Malaysia since 1993 with the capacity to produce 14,700 barrels per day.
The Pearl GTL project in Qatar, operated by Shell, is an integrated gas and GTL project that became fully operational in 2012. Gas is supplied from two offshore platforms 37 miles from Qatar. The GTL plant is the world’s largest and has the capacity to produce 140,000 barrels of GTL products per day. Construction commenced in 2006, and the total project cost is estimated at $18 billion.
Gas to Power
A significant portion of gas consumption is used for power generation. For example, in 2022, the United States used 13.59 trillion cubic feet of gas for electricity generation and thermal output. An alternative to constructing a long-distance pipeline is to construct a power-generation plant close to the source of gas supply and deliver electricity through high-voltage power transmission lines. This option may be feasible if the cost of constructing the power transmission lines is much less than the cost of constructing a pipeline. An issue that needs to be managed is the energy loss associated with long-distance power transmission.
The bulk transport of compressed natural gas (CNG) by truck, rail, or ship can be an alternative to long-distance pipelines or the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships. CNG refueling stations that cannot be supplied by pipeline can be supplied from a CNG “mother station” by trucks with specialized CNG tanks. The technology for bulk transport of CNG by ship (marine CNG) is available but has not been widely adopted.
Other Options
If gas can be converted into liquid, it can also be converted into a solid (gas hydrates). However, gas-to-solid technology is still at the experimental stage and is not yet used in significant commercial scale. Another option is to use the gas to produce commodities (for example steel, copper, aluminum, glass, and cement) that have an energy-intensive production process. The commodities can then be exported using conventional land or marine transport. (This article is solely the responsibility of the author and does not represent the views of his employer.)
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