WHAT IS LNG?
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas cooled to -160 C, when it becomes a liquid approximately 600 times denser than natural gas at room temperature. The gas is typically cooled at marine terminals, where it can then be loaded onto specialized tanker ships for export overseas.
Natural gas is primarily composed of methane gas, with smaller amounts of ethane, propane butane, and pentanes. It formed as a result of organic matter decaying underground millions of years ago.
Natural gas is burned for heating, electricity generation and transportation fuel.
Natural gas burned for power generation creates 545 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas emissions per kilowatt hour (gCO2/KWh), compared to 778 gCO2/KWh for diesel/heavy oil, and 1,000 gCO2/KWh for coal on average, making natural gas the lowest emitting of the fossil fuels. However renewable sources such as reservoir-based hydroelectric and wind power produce 39 to 52 times lower emissions over their lifetime.
PROVINCIAL RESERVES
B.C. has an estimated natural gas reserve of 2,933 trillion cubic feet (equivalent to 60.23 billion tonnes of LNG), primarily in the shale rock formations of the Horn River and Montney basins in northeast B.C. Current production in B.C. is four trillion cubic feet of natural gas (equivalent to 82.14 million tonnes of LNG) per year.
Natural gas is primarily harvested from shale rock formations using a controversial process know as hydraulic fracturing or fracking, which uses pressurized liquids to fracture rock and allow gas to flow through the cracks to the well. Fracking has been linked to ground water contamination, loss of fresh water, seismic instability and other environmental and health issues in jurisdictions around the world.
LNG POTENTIAL
The B.C. government commissioned Grant Thornton LLP to conduct an independent assessment of the potential impact of LNG on the B.C. economy, based on five projects moving ahead to completion by 2021. The consultant estimated it would result in $98.4 billion in capital expenditures; create more than 39,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs on average during construction; create approximately 75,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs during operation; and generate $130 billion to $180 billion in government revenue over a 30-year period.
TOP 10 JOBS
The top 10 in-demand jobs related to LNG development (based on estimated job demand in 2018) are:
1) Construction trades helpers and labourers (11,800 jobs)
2) Steamfitters and pipefitters (3,800 jobs)
3) Welders (2,200 jobs)
4) Concrete finishers (1,500 jobs)
5) Transport truck drivers (1,500 jobs)
6) Carpenters (1,500 jobs)
7) Heavy equipment operators (1,100 jobs)
8) Gas fitters (1,100 jobs)
9) Purchasing agents and officers (875 jobs)
10) Crane operators (800 jobs)
Source: B.C. Ministry of Natural Gas Development, Work B.C.
