0:07 The world’s population is growing
0:11 and, for many, living standards will continue to improve.
0:14 As a result, global energy demand is expected to double by 2050 when compared to 2000.
0:21 To help meet this demand, gas will form an increasingly important role.
0:25 Natural gas is plentiful, and it’s the cleanest-burning fossil fuel.
0:30 But some natural gas resources are in remote locations:
0:33 transporting the gas long distances by pipeline can be costly and impractical.
0:38 The solution? We liquefy the gas by cooling it,
0:42 which shrinks its volume for easier, economical and safe transportation by ship.
0:46 So, how is liquefied natural gas produced?
0:49 Natural gas extracted from the ground, contains impurities, water and other associated liquids.
0:55 First it is processed to clean it.
0:58 It goes through a series of pipes and vessels where gravity helps separate the gas from some of the heavier liquids.
1:06 Other impurities are then stripped out.
1:09 The natural gas passes through a water-based solvent that absorbs carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide.
1:15 These would otherwise freeze when the gas is cooled and so cause blockages.
1:20 Next any remaining water is removed, as this would also freeze.
1:24 Finally, remaining lighter natural gas liquids – mainly propane and butane –
1:28 are extracted to be sold separately or used as refrigerant later in the cooling process.
1:33 Traces of mercury are also filtered out.
1:36 Now the purified natural gas – methane with some ethane – is ready to be liquefied.
1:42 This happens in heat exchangers.
1:44 A coolant, chilled by giant refrigerators, absorbs the heat from the natural gas.
1:50 It cools the gas to –162°C, shrinking its volume by 600 times.
1:57 This turns it into a clear, colourless, non-toxic liquid - liquefied natural gas, or LNG –
2:04 that is much easier to store and transport.
2:11 The LNG is kept in insulated tanks
2:15 until it is ready for loading into a specially designed LNG ship or carrier.
2:24 When the ship arrives at its destination, the LNG is transferred to a re-gasification plant
2:30 where it is heated, returning it to its gaseous state.
2:34 The gas is then transported via pipelines to customers,
2:37 providing energy for homes and industry.
2:40 Shell continues to help meet growing energy demand with cleaner-burning natural gas