LNG for industry

LNG is an effective way to power industry sectors.

Why use LNG for industry

Better for the planet and bottom line

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a highly versatile fuel. 

As LNG can be used for a wide range of industrial applications and processes, such as heating, cooling, drying, processing and food production. It is already widely used in a variety of industries worldwide wherever natural gas isn’t available. Sectors that rely on LNG include food processing, bottling of beverages, pet food manufacture, dairy products manufacture, aggregates and asphalts - to name just a few.

Clean-burning and low carbon, LNG is an effective, tried-and-tested alternative to expensive, oil-based systems for businesses concerned about costs and sustainability.

 

Benefits of LNG for industry

Switching from oil to LNG can cut CO2 emissions by at least 20%3. LNG is moreover much lower in Sox and NOx emissions and emits only insignificant levels of harmful particulates. With increasing environmental legislation such as the Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD) in Europe, limiting the emission of pollutants such as NOx, SO2, dust and carbon monoxide (CO) from existing manufacturing plants by 2025, LNG can help meet demand from businesses that urgently seek cleaner fuel choices to reduce their carbon footprint4 . What’s more, spills are not a concern as LNG evaporates rapidly when exposed to air, leaving no residue on water or soil.
As LNG is non-corrosive, it makes LNG the fuel of choice for businesses that operate sensitive or expensive equipment and machinery.
Safety is a top priority for the LNG industry, which actively minimises risks at every step of the supply chain, resulting in the fact that LNG as an industry has an excellent safety record5. This success is due to both the inherent chemical properties of LNG, which make it safer than other commonly-used hydrocarbons, and to the emphasis on safety at every stage of the supply chain.

SHV Energy fully embraces this ethos by setting rigorous safety standards in the installation and commissioning of equipment, driver selection and training, compulsory procedures and documentation.

LNG has a high heat (or calorific) value of between 42 and 55 MJ/kg compared with alternatives such as oil (42 - 47 MJ/kg), LPG (46 - 51 MJ/kg) and diesel (42 - 46 MJ/kg)6. And, as LNG is the cleanest fossil fuel, the production process need never be interrupted for equipment cleaning.
When we fit a telemetry system to an installation, it gives us a live feed of the LNG level so we know exactly when the next delivery will be needed. It also alerts us when maintenance is due or corrective work is needed to get optimal performance from the LNG system.

Find out more about the sustainability qualities of LNG

LNG in action

What it’s used for

LNG is often the fuel of choice for businesses in geographically remote locations. These typically include:

  • Food processing
  • Bottling of beverages
  • Pet food manufacture
  • Dairy products manufacture
  • Aggregates and asphalts
Dairy partners

Case study

Dairy partners

Read how Dairy Partners cut energy costs by 29% and CO2 emissions by 30% when it switched to LNG.
Read more

How it works

How it works


The main components of an LNG plant are a cryogenic tank, an ambient air vaporiser, a compressor unit and an odouriser. LNG is transferred from the tank into the vaporiser where it evaporates through ambient heat and is channeled into the compressor at a controlled temperature and pressure. The LNG is then odourised using an additive to make it easy to detect any leaks for maximum safety. Find out more about LNG

cryogenic tank and pressure build-up unit (PBU)

The LNG is piped to a double-walled, vacuum-insulated tank installed at the customer’s site that acts as their own personal gas reserve. The PBU guarantees a constant pressure level.

Vaporiser system

The product is warmed, transforming it into gas.

Trim heater

If the gas is too cold for delivery, the trim heater will heat it up until it reaches the right temperature.

First stage regulator

Ensures gas is delivered at the correct pressure for the customer.

Odouriser

As a safety measure, an odouriser is added to the colourless and odourless gas as it passes through the vaporisers. This gives it a ‘rotten egg’ smell so that leaks are more easily detected.

Control panel and compressor

The ‘brain’ of the LNG satellite plant, this houses the programmable logic controller (PLC), which manages the safe operation of the plant.

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Sustainability

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PrimaLNG

Find out more about Prima LNG and our best-in-class LNG supply chain solutions.

3 Source: Applies to plants with a rated thermal input (RTI) equal to or greater than 1 megawatt (MWth) and less than 50 MWth.

4 Source: When used for power generation, natural gas emits as much as 50 percent less CO2 than coal, results in negligible emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), mercury (Hg), and particulates compared with other fuels - International Gas Union.

5 Source: Handbook of Liquefied Natural Gas 2014Handbook of Liquefied Natural Gas 2014

6 Source: https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/facts-and-figures