BP Shipping: Clear Sailing Ahead

State-of-the-art LNG vessels are critical to the safe, efficient and reliable transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG), one of the cleanest-burning forms of energy currently available.

Natural gas makes up half the world’s hydrocarbon resources, but it’s not always found where it’s needed. To transport natural gas over long distances it is first liquefied, then loaded and stored at atmospheric pressure onto specially-designed liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships. Today, some 175 LNG ships safely transport more than 11 million metric tonnes of LNG annually to ports around the world. This is more than all American homes consume each year.

LNG is a rapidly growing part of BP’s natural gas portfolio. Today the company is the world’s second largest non state  supplier of natural gas around the world.BP is currently expanding its managed fleet of LNG ships to keep pace with the rapidly growing world demand for LNG use.
 
One of BP’s current fleet British Trader carries 138000 cubic meters ( 4.9 million cubic feet );is longer than 3 football fields and powered by two steam turbine engines that provide up to 39500 horse power. Onboard cargo monitoring systems are state of the art in terms of safety and technology. Gas detectors can pick up the presence of minute quantities of method; ultraviolet or infrared detectors can sense heat, flames and extreme cold. Closed circuit television and sophisticated computer software monitor critical locations. Additional safety precautions during cargo operations include a water curtain and deluge systems to protect the ship in the unlikely event of a spillage or should gas vapours ignite.Automatic shut down systems can be deployed instantly should the ship move from its moorings.

You can also discover more out about British Trader on the Marine Society’s website (www.ms-sc.org) as the ship is one of the featured webships.The ships sends in regular dispatches to provide a unique insight into contemporary life at sea.

LNG Facts

Clean Energy
Burning natural gas produces 50% fewer emissions than oil and 85% less than coal;

Safe Transport
During more than 40 years while making 40,000 deliveries around the globe, there has never been a loss of containment from an LNG ship’s cargo tanks;

Long History
Regular, commercial, international LNG ship transportation began in the 1960s between Algeria and the UK;

Properties
Colourless, odourless and non-toxic. LNG vapour is lighter than air. It floats on water but vapourizes immediately;

Big Producer
BP produces more than 225 million cubic metres (8 billion cubic feet) of natural gas per day. One billion cubic feet is enough to supply 4.3 million homes each day.

Cooking on Gas

With the monetization of equity gas, and development of the merchant activities which optimise BP’s LNG production and marketing, the company has been able to create an integrated but highly flexible gas business from the gas field to the customer burner tip.

Did you know?

That BP has its own educational website which provides Innovative educational resources designed for both teachers and students and can be accessed via our website www.bpshipping.com

For more info visit: www.bpshipping.com