LNG QUALITY AND MARKET FLEXIBILITY CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS QUALITES DE GNL ET FLEXIBILITE DE MARCHE ENJEUX ET PERSPECTIVES

摘要

The emergence of a more fluid LNG market and the growing demand for lean LNG (low calorific value), especially in the US and the UK, are forcing LNG producers to address new gas quality issues. In this paper, the gas specification constraints in importing countries are reviewed and compared to those of LNG being produced, thus highlighting the discrepancy between gas qualities in Asia, the UK and the US, as well as the mismatch between most he current LNGs and new lean gas markets. The various ways to adjust the gas quality are briefly described in order to understand their strengths and weaknesses and evaluate the solutions available to meet the needs of both LNG producers and importers. The paper presents a case study which is intented to provide the basis for a global economic optimisation all along the LNG chain, including shipping costs.