The East Ohio Gas Company built the world’s first,full-scale commercial LNG plant in Cleveland,in 1940.The plant stored gas in times of low demand,which was re-gasified when additional supply was required during cold weather.The Cleveland plant failed in October 1944,when a cylindrical tank ruptured and caught fire,resulting in 130 fatalities.The accident delayed further implementation of LNG facilities for several decades.Major new opportunity.The surplus of natural gas in specific geographic locations,combined with updated technologies and major infrastructure investments,has created a burgeoning international market for the export of LNG to high-demand countries.The major exporters are Australia,Qatar,the U.S.,Malaysia and Russia(EIA).To receive the influx of product,more than 30 LNG import terminals are now operating across Europe,so many that inbound tankers from Qatar,the U.S.and other LNG exporting nations cannot meet the facilities’ capacity.Despite the supply shortage,new import terminals are planned in Germany and Poland.The trend suggests that the continent is serious about the Paris agreement and will continue to shift away from coal,while reducing its dependence on gas delivered through Russian pipelines.
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