Analysis of Threats Involving Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) – Review of Literature Sources

• Main Authors: Adrian Bralewski, Jerzy Wolanin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Scientific and Research Centre for Fire Protection - National Research Institute 2019-12-01
• Series: Safety & Fire Technology
• Subjects: lng; risks; hazards; risk assessment
• Online Access: https://panel.sft.cnbop.pl/storage/c75cce23-f752-4b04-9e08-562e2f459ea7
• ISSN: 2657-8808; 2658-0810

Aim: The purpose of this article is to review the literature on the risks associated with the transport, storage and processing of liquefied natural gas, and to lay a foundation for developing an LNG risk assessment methodology and the related State Fire Service response procedures. The authors focused on analysing the risks associated with the physicochemical properties of LNG. The reviewed publications explored scenarios related to the operation of LNG terminals. Introduction: The construction of the LNG terminal in Świnoujście, the constantly growing global LNG industry, and the increasingly widespread use of LNG-fuelled vehicles increase the associated risks. Therefore, it is extremely important to recognise these risks. All preventive and corrective measures require a thorough knowledge of the issues they designed to address. This article is the first step towards the development of fire department procedures to manage LNG risks. It includes a summary of the main risks faced by emergency services and scenarios that could be useful for developing a methodology for LNG risk assessment. Methodology: The analysis presented in the article is based on a review of selected Polish and foreign literature. We provide a general discussion of the global LNG industry and its history, and of the physicochemical properties of liquefied gas. Furthermore, we identify the risks associated with the physicochemical properties of LNG, and discuss scenarios involving LNG risks in the supply chain, as provided in the reviewed literature. Conclusions: Based on a synthetic review of the literature, it can be concluded that the risks associated with the use of LNG have been thoroughly described in international literature. Polish publications on the subject are scarce. Awareness of LNG-related risks is crucial for the work of State Fire Service officers, as it is the basis for any preventive measures. Risk identification is the first step in the assessment. Existing literature offers few descriptions of “micro-scale” risks, involving, for instance, the use of LNG-powered vehicles. Macro-scale risks, on the other hand – those involving the transport and storage of large quantities of LNG – have been described in great detail.