The utilization and development of natural gas are crucial to optimizing our country's energy structure and advancing ecological civilization. Representatives from the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Finance, and other ministries, as well as from State Grid Corporation of China, the five major power groups, three major oil companies, gas enterprises, the Development Research Center of the State Council, and numerous research institutions and professional industry associations, engaged in a joint exchange and discussion to contribute their wisdom to promoting the use and development of natural gas in our country.

One of the advantages of natural gas – safety

The gas density of natural gas is half that of air, compressed natural gas is lighter than air, highly volatile, and not easily explosive. Methane, ethane, propane, and other components in natural gas are non-toxic. In terms of safety, pipeline gas is superior to bottled gas. This is because pipeline gas employs centralized storage and supply from gasification stations, avoiding the safety risks associated with the scattered storage of bottled gas, liquefied natural gas tanks, and self-use in households. The indoor pressure of pipeline gas is only 1/130th of that of tap water and 1/170th of bottled gas. The storage capacity of the gas pipeline itself is very small; with a 12-meter indoor pipeline per household, it's approximately 1/3000th of bottled gas. In case of leaks or fires due to other reasons, simply closing the main valve or the unit riser valve indoors can cut off the gas supply and mitigate the situation. In contrast, when faced with similar situations, it's difficult to effectively close or remove a petroleum液化 gas cylinder, which can easily lead to explosions.

Natural Gas Advantage #2 - Economical

Economical and affordable is one of the advantages of natural gas, which is also a reason for the rapid nationwide spread of pipeline natural gas. Compared to other fuel prices at the same usage volume (calorific value), using pipeline natural gas can save at least 25% to 35% on monthly costs compared to bottled LPG. This not only eliminates the expenses of purchasing and regularly inspecting steel cylinders but also reduces the costs and inconvenience associated with transporting and replacing liquefied gas in daily life. The cost of using natural gas is more than 35% cheaper than electricity, and about 25% to 35% cheaper than diesel or heavy oil. The third advantage of natural gas – environmental friendliness Natural gas is composed of 98% methane, which is a simple molecule (CH4) consisting of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms.

   LNG is a clean and efficient energy source. Importing LNG aids energy-consuming countries in diversifying their energy supply and ensuring energy security, while exporting LNG tanks helps natural gas-producing countries effectively exploit their gas resources, boost foreign exchange earnings, and drive national economic development. As a result, LNG tank trade is emerging as a new hot spot in the global energy market.

To date, there are over 40 construction sites for 60-cubic-meter LNG storage tanks in our country, with over 20 facilities already in operation, boasting a total annual production capacity of 2.5 million tons. It is projected that by 2015, the total annual production capacity of 60-cubic-meter LNG storage tanks in China will reach 7.5 million tons. During the 12th Five-Year Plan period, the development of 60-cubic-meter LNG storage tanks, as a clean energy source, not only improved the energy structure but also spurred the growth of related technologies, equipment, and the new energy vehicle industry, among others.

Under the impact of numerous policies such as China's slowing economic growth, the restructuring of the national energy structure, the convergence of prices for existing and incremental natural gas, and the adjustment of residential gas tiered pricing, the domestic 60-cubic L gas storage tank industry is currently in a crucial period of re-shuffling...