WHAT IS THE TRUTH ON LNG SAFETY? WHY DOES THE PUBLIC HAVE SUCH AN INACCURATE PERCEPTION OF LNG SAFETY, AND WHAT CAN INDUSTRY DO?

摘要

For more than 60 years, the LNG industry, worldwide, has not had a single accident that has affected or exposed the public to harm. Other industries (chemical, other fuel and energy) cannot claim such a stellar safety record; yet, there is considerable public resistance to developing new LNG import terminals. A new, real or hyped, concern on the vulnerability of LNG facilities and ships to acts of terrorism has added one more dimension to the debate. This paper discusses the possible reasons for such a negative public perception on LNG safety and its postulated hazards and what the industry can do to communicate the real comparative risks. LNG properties and field test data from LNG releases are examined critically to assess the extent of postulated hazard areas from large releases. The LNG behavior/hazard prediction models are evaluated for their realistic representation of potential hazards and the consideration of real, active, and passive mitigation actions/circumstances in urban, residential, and industrial areas next to LNG terminals. Potential hazard areas from LNG and other fuels are compared. The effect of security protocols in preventing attacks on LNG facilities and the consequent reduction in release potential are discussed. The requirements of regulations in both the US and Europe are reviewed to assess how best they address various (real) safety concerns. Finally, the paper evaluates what the LNG industry is (and should be) doing to communicate with and educate the public on the realistic risks in an era of increasing worldwide energy needs and the important contribution of LNG to meet these demands.