LNG freezes, burns but does not explode

March 29, 2007 08:08 pm

— What is LNG?
• Liquefied natural gas, or LNG, is natural gas that has been super cooled to -260 degrees. The liquid gas is easier to transport in this form because it takes up to 600 times less space than in its gaseous state.
• Three LNG terminals are either under construction or are planned for construction in Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana, including: Golden Pass LNG in Sabine Pass, Sempra LNG in Port Arthur and Sabine Pass LNG in Cameron, La.

By Ashley Sanders
The News staff writer

Direct contact with liquefied natural gas (LNG) may turn a rubber boot into a hundred icy particles and has the ability to dissolve a complete strip of steel — But, what Russell Melancon, spokesperson for the Industrial Safety Training Council (ISTC), and David White, publisher of Industrial Fire World Magazine, want Southeast Texans to know is that combating an LNG blaze is a breeze.
“We are going to put 6,000 gallons of LNG into an eight-foot-deep pit and set it on fire,” Melancon told a group of spectators before a special LNG demonstration at the Beaumont Emergency Services Training (BEST) complex Thursday. “We want to dispel any myths that LNG is explosive.”
LNG does not explode because it does not contain any oxygen that could react with the fuel. And according to Melancon, even LNG in an open environment will not explode because studies have shown that high winds rapidly dissipate the LNG vapor and low winds keep the flammable vapor cloud close to the source.
White, saying that he would rather encounter a turned over tanker of LNG than a tanker full of gasoline, added that there have not been many instances in which LNG has created an emergency situation.
“This stuff is not as bad as many people think,” he said. “We just simply do not have many cases in which LNG has caused an emergency situation. But, we are here today to learn how to combat an emergency if a situation arose.”
Thursday’s clinic was designed to prepare local fire and rescue authorities about what they could expect if there was an emergency at one of the three proposed LNG sites planned for Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana.
And what many watching the demonstration soon understood was that an LNG fire cannot be contained with water.
“All of the vapor makes that pit look like a barbecue grill,” White said as he stood near the smoking 14 x 14 hole in the ground containing the LNG chemical. “The flame burns clean and is easy to extinguish with foam glass beads and dry chemicals.”
BEST fireman extinguished a small LNG fire several times with nothing more than a common fire extinguisher used in homes and businesses. For a larger fire, the firemen again used a dry chemical, but this time added something surprising to the mix — “for all practical purposes, they used dishwashing soap,” White said.
Port Arthur fireman Mark Sastre said he enjoyed Thursday’s training session and learned a lot about what to expect if a LNG fire were to occur.
“I think with the new LNG terminals being constructed in Sabine Pass, it is important that we learn about the hazards involved. Just in case of an accident,” he said. “From what I have seen, LNG is a very stable gas. You know, there are pros and cons to everything, but LNG appears to have a positive safety record.”
Sastre said the knowledge gained at Thursday’s demonstration would be taken back to the Port Arthur fire departments and shared with other officers.
And while the LNG demonstration was intended to be educational, there were some moments that left audience members entertained and awestruck.
BEST firemen showed off their “cool drink of water” by pouring a five gallon bucket of LNG on the ground. Cold vapors swept across the ground, but ultimately harmed nothing.
A rubber boot left in the LNG pit, however, could not boast such a pleasant ending.
A fire fighter struck the frosty boot with a hammer only three times before hundreds of little icy particles littered the ground. And a steel beam left in the pit too long was completely dissolved by the chill — leaving behind only the rope once tied to the beam dangling in the wind.
“We want fireman to understand, you cannot just put your hand in this stuff unless you want to lose a finger,” White said.
Learn more about LNG and watch footage of Thursday’s demonstration at www.panews.com.

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