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As explained previously, natural gas is the third primary energy source in the world behind
oil and coal . And production is expected to increase in the next decades. In this lecture, we
will discuss gas transport and gas storage.
As their name indicates, gas pipelines are similar to oil pipelines except that they transport
natural gas. There are two types of gas pipeline:
1. Some are underwater, such as those linking Norwegian gas fields to European
terminals or North Africa to Sicily.
2. Others are overland, such as those that make up the Russian network or between
Canada and the United States. For safety and security reasons, these networks are
buried underground.
Inside the pipelines, gas circulates at high speed. Its pressure is increased by compressor
plants located at regular intervals along the network.
Gas storage
When Natural Gas or Liquefied Natural Gas arrives at the terminal, it can be stored in liquid
or gaseous form, before being injected into the distribution network.
Indeed, natural gas consumption varies according to the season and differences in heating
needs. For example, the French consume 8 times more natural gas in Winter than in Summer.
Therefore, natural gas must be stored in order to match supply to demand in real time.
First, the LNG is accumulated in giant spherical tanks in liquefied form at low temperature.
Before delivery to the final consumer, the LNG is re/gasified by heating. This is done using the
heat from seawater, or by heating the water that provides the energy to regasify the LNG.
And because natural gas has no odor, it is given a smell or "odorized" using an additive, so
that it can be easily detected in the event of a leak.
Finally, the gas produced is shipped through the natural gas transport network until it
reaches the final consumer.