The LNG industry has a legacy of safe operations, with no major incidents on the sea or in port in more than 40 years and 40,000 carrier voyages. Currently the majority of LNG regasification facilities are located in heavily populated urban settings, which speaks to the extremely low risk associated with the product. The industry has developed sophisticated technology and monitoring systems to reduce and eliminate risk.

The key to the industry’s remarkable safety record is the combination of multiple, integrated layers of protection. The shipping, storage and handling of LNG follows established procedures. Safety systems include three levels of protection:

• protection of the vessels and the facilities themselves
• early detection and mitigation of leaks through constant monitoring and mitigation systems
• containment of LNG with multiple barriers made of special materials designed for this purpose

On the water

Today, state-of-the-art LNG double hulled carriers regularly transport LNG across miles of ocean. They must meet stringent international, national and regional safety codes. The vessels’ double hulls are added protection in case of an incident. All vessels will be piloted by tug boats as they enter the harbour areas and a safety zone is required around LNG vessels.

At the site

The industry is heavily regulated and monitored with regular  inspections and audits. Terminals typically use 'full containment' LNG storage tanks. These tanks are specifically designed to withstand the extremely cold temperatures of LNG and typically consist of a stainless steel inner tank and a concrete outer tank wall. The outer wall provides two important functions – added insulation for the tank as well as a second layer of containment of the LNG. A carbon steel liner, applied to the inside surface of the concrete wall, serves to contain the LNG vapour. The roof of the tank is either a carbon steel outer tank roof supported from the concrete wall or a concrete roof with inner steel liner.