天然ガスハイドレート（NGH）海上輸送チェーンの事業性調査

摘要

While alternative natural gas transportation technologies to the currently available pipeline or liquefied natural gas (LNG) are expected to develop for unmonetized small and medium gas fields, Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (MES) has been studying natural gas hydrate (NGH) transportation chain. MES has been carrying out research and development on the relevant technology covering an entire supply chain from NGH production to regasification.rnAs the notable achievement, MES and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Mitsui) established NGH Japan Co., Ltd. (NGHJ) in April 2007, in order to study the viability of NGH supply chain and promote its commercialization. MES has been conducting a practical feasibility study on the natural gas supply chain by means of NGH under the budgetary assistance of Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) in cooperation with NGHJ, Mitsui and other 6 leading companies related to natural gas businesses. According to the study, NGH has proved competitive when the production capacity is between 1 to 3 million tons of natural gas equivalent per year and the transportation distance is between 1 000 to 2 600 nautical miles, and the result suggests that NGH chain is appropriate, under certain conditions, as a media for transportation from Southeast Asia to Japan and regional transportation within Southeast Asia.%既存のガス輸送技術であるパイプラインや液化天然ガス（LNG）では経済性が成立しない中小ガス田の開発に適した技rn術の開発が期待されている．三井造船は天然ガスハイドレート（NGH）技術に着日し，NGIT製造から再ガス化に至るサrnプライチェーン全体の技術開発に注力してきた．また，2007年4月，NGH海上輸送チェーンの事業性を検証し商業化をrn推進するため，三井物産（株）と共同でNGHジャパン（株）を設立した．（独）石油天然ガス・金属鉱物資源機構の支援のrn下，当社はNGHジャパン，三井物産及び天然ガス関連6社とともにNGHによる天然ガスサプライチェーンに関する事rn業性調査を行い，生産量がガス換算100～300万t/y，輸送距離が1000～2600海里の範囲でNGHが競争力を有するとrnの結果を得，東南アジアから日本へ，あるいは東南アジア域内で天然ガスを輸送する媒体としてNGHが適していることrnを確認した．