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LNG Papers THE HISTORY OF LNG

STREAM LNG PAPERS

THE HISTORY OF LNG

Antonio Bellver | LNG Supply Coordinator

Stream | Marzo 2012
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LNG Papers THE HISTORY OF LNG

I. The Origins Natural gas has been known in the Middle East since ancient times, particularly due to seeping gas that was on fire (“burning springs” or “eternal flames”), and it was even the object of religious worship in Persia, Greece and India. In China, despite the fact that they had already drilled the first natural gas well two centuries before our era, the practical use of this resource didn’t occur until the year 900.

Natural gas was discovered in Great Britain in 1659, but it had not been destined for commercial use until 1790. In the United States, William Hart drilled the first well in 1821, and five years later gas for lighting began to be supplied in the town of Fredonia, New York, which later gave rise to one of the first gas distribution companies: the “Fredonia Gas Light Company”. Until 1890, natural gas was distributed and consumed locally and was used only as a light source, but gaskets improved considerably in that year and gas pipelines could reach farther with fewer losses. Even so, gas pipelines didn’t exceed 150 km until the beginning of the 20th century. II. From the experimental phase to the first LNG industrial projects. The first attempts at liquefying various gases, including methane, were carried out in the mid-19th century by the British chemist and physicist Michael Faraday (Newington, 22 September 1791 – London, 25 August 1867), who studied electromagnetism and electrochemistry. Michael Faraday
(Source: http://www.cornerstonesensors.com)

In turn, German engineer Karl Von Linde, who lived in Munich (1842-1934), facilitated advances in gas liquefaction on an industrial scale: he invented a heat exchanger, and his name is linked to fundamental research on the technique of low temperatures which are necessary for liquefying air and industrially