LNG glossary

Billion cubic metres per yearbcm/y#

Gas volume measured at standard conditions, the usual unit for pipeline capacity and national consumption. Roughly 1.36 bcm/y equals 1 Mtpa of LNG, though the exact factor depends on gas composition.Read the explainerSee also million tonnes per annum

Boiling point#

The temperature at which a liquid becomes a gas at a given pressure. LNG has no single boiling point because it is a mixture; it boils across a range starting near minus 162 degrees Celsius, and the lighter components leave first.See also ageing, methane

Condensate#

Light liquid hydrocarbon that drops out of natural gas as pressure and temperature fall. It is a saleable co-product of many gas fields and must be removed before liquefaction.

Cryogenic#

Of temperatures low enough to liquefy permanent gases, conventionally below about minus 150 degrees Celsius. Ordinary carbon steel becomes brittle at these temperatures, which is why LNG equipment is built from nickel steels, stainless, aluminium or Invar.See also invar, 9% nickel steel

Expansion ratio#

The volume of gas produced by one volume of liquid, about 600 to 1 for LNG at atmospheric pressure. It is the single number that explains why the whole chain exists.Read the explainer

Higher and lower heating valueHHV / LHV#

Two conventions for the energy in a fuel: the higher value counts the heat recovered by condensing the water in the exhaust, the lower value does not. They differ for LNG by roughly 10 per cent, which is large enough to matter when comparing figures from different sources.

Lean gas#

Natural gas that is nearly all methane, with little ethane or heavier. Lean LNG has a lower heating value, which matters where a receiving grid specifies a narrow Wobbe index.See also rich gas, wobbe index

Liquefied natural gasLNG#

Natural gas chilled to about minus 162 degrees Celsius, at which point it condenses to a liquid roughly 600 times smaller in volume than the gas. Shrinking it is what makes it economic to ship where no pipeline runs.Read the explainerSee also expansion ratio, cryogenic

Methane#

The simplest hydrocarbon, CH4, and typically 85 to 99 per cent of LNG by volume. Its boiling point at atmospheric pressure, minus 161.5 degrees Celsius, sets the temperature the whole chain is designed around.

Million tonnes per annumMtpa#

The standard unit of LNG plant capacity, measured as mass of LNG produced per year. One Mtpa is about 1.36 billion cubic metres of gas a year.Read the explainerSee also billion cubic metres per year, nameplate capacity

Natural gas liquidsNGL#

Ethane, propane, butane and heavier hydrocarbons separated from natural gas during treatment. At an LNG plant they are removed both because they would freeze in the cold section and because they are worth more sold separately.

Rich gas#

Natural gas carrying a significant fraction of ethane, propane and heavier hydrocarbons. Rich feed yields valuable natural gas liquids during treatment, and rich LNG has a higher heating value than lean.See also lean gas, natural gas liquids

Sour gas#

Natural gas containing hydrogen sulphide, usually alongside carbon dioxide. Both must be stripped out before liquefaction: CO2 freezes solid in the cold section and H2S is toxic and corrosive.See also acid gas removal, sweet gas

Sweet gas#

Natural gas with hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide already at or below specification, either naturally or after treatment.See also sour gas

Wobbe index#

A measure of the energy delivered by a gas through a fixed orifice, used to check that one gas can substitute for another in burners. Receiving grids specify a Wobbe range, and LNG that falls outside it must be blended or ballasted with nitrogen.See also lean gas, rich gas

These terms are covered in the fundamentals track.

Acid gas removal#

Stripping carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide from feed gas, usually by washing it with an amine solution. CO2 must reach single-digit parts per million because it freezes solid in the main exchanger.See also amine unit, sour gas

All-electric drive#

Driving refrigerant compressors with electric motors rather than gas turbines, so the plant's emissions depend on the grid supplying it. It removes turbine exhaust from site but competes for transformers and variable speed drives with every other electrification project.See also driver

Amine unit#

The absorber and regenerator pair that removes acid gases by contacting the feed with a circulating amine solvent. It is one of the largest and most energy-hungry parts of the treatment train.See also acid gas removal

AP-X#

An extension of C3MR that adds a nitrogen expander loop for the final sub-cooling, raising single-train capacity to around 8 Mtpa. It is the process behind Qatar's largest trains.See also c3mr, nitrogen expander cycle

C3MR#

Propane pre-cooled mixed refrigerant, the most widely used liquefaction process. Propane chills the gas in stages, then a mixed refrigerant in a coil-wound exchanger does the deep cooling.Read the explainerSee also coil-wound heat exchanger, ap-x

Cascade process#

Liquefaction in three separate pure-refrigerant loops, typically propane, then ethylene, then methane. It uses more equipment than a mixed refrigerant cycle but each loop is simple and easy to control.

Coil-wound heat exchanger#

A tall vessel containing many kilometres of small tubing wound in layers around a central core, where the deep cooling happens. Two manufacturers dominate their production worldwide.Read the explainerSee also main cryogenic heat exchanger, plate-fin heat exchanger

Cold box#

An insulated enclosure holding plate-fin exchangers and associated pipework, keeping the cold section together and away from ambient heat.See also plate-fin heat exchanger

Debottlenecking#

Raising the output of an existing train by relieving whatever limits it, rather than building new capacity. It is the reason reported capacity for an operating plant often creeps upward between tracker releases.See also nameplate capacity

Dehydration#

Removing water vapour from treated gas, typically down to about 0.1 parts per million using molecular sieve beds. Any water left behind freezes and blocks the cold section.See also molecular sieve

Driver#

The machine that turns a refrigerant compressor, either a gas turbine or a large electric motor. Driver choice sets a train's fuel consumption, its emissions and often its maximum size.See also all-electric drive

Dual mixed refrigerantDMR#

A cycle using two mixed refrigerants, one for pre-cooling and one for liquefaction, instead of pure propane for the first stage. It performs better in cold climates, where propane pre-cooling loses its advantage.See also c3mr

End flash gas#

Vapour released when liquefied gas is let down to storage pressure, usually recovered as plant fuel. Managing it is part of how a plant controls the nitrogen content of its product.

Feed gas#

The raw natural gas delivered to a liquefaction plant, before treatment. Its composition governs how much of the plant is treatment equipment and how much is refrigeration.

Floating liquefactionFLNG#

A complete liquefaction plant built on a ship-shaped hull and moored over or near a gas field, so gas is liquefied at sea and loaded straight onto carriers. It avoids onshore construction entirely, at the cost of a far more constrained plant layout.Read the explainer

Liquefaction train#

One complete, self-contained line that treats and chills gas until it condenses. A large modern train produces roughly 5 to 8 Mtpa, and a plant is normally several trains sharing storage and jetties.Read the explainer

Main cryogenic heat exchangerMCHE#

The single exchanger where feed gas finally condenses, and the heart of a liquefaction train. Its size and lead time frequently set the schedule for a whole project.See also coil-wound heat exchanger

Mercury removal#

Adsorbing trace mercury out of feed gas before it reaches the cold section. Mercury attacks aluminium, and the main cryogenic heat exchanger is made of it.

Molecular sieve#

A bed of porous crystalline adsorbent that traps water, and sometimes heavier hydrocarbons, by molecular size. Beds are used in pairs so one can be regenerated with hot gas while the other works.

Nameplate capacity#

The design output of a plant or train under reference conditions, which is what capacity figures normally quote. Actual production routinely exceeds it in cold weather and falls short in hot, so nameplate is a specification rather than a forecast.See also debottlenecking, million tonnes per annum

Nitrogen expander cycle#

Refrigeration by expanding compressed nitrogen through a turbine. It is inefficient compared with mixed refrigerants but uses no flammable refrigerant inventory, which is attractive offshore.See also floating liquefaction, ap-x

Plate-fin heat exchanger#

A block of brazed aluminium plates and corrugated fins forming many parallel flow passages. Compact and efficient, and the usual alternative to a coil-wound exchanger, particularly in cascade and small-scale plants.See also coil-wound heat exchanger, cold box

Refrigeration cycle#

The closed loop of compression, cooling, expansion and evaporation that removes heat from the gas. Which cycle a plant uses is the main thing that distinguishes one liquefaction technology from another.Read the explainerSee also c3mr, dual mixed refrigerant, cascade process

Single mixed refrigerantSMR#

One mixed refrigerant loop doing the whole job. Less efficient than multi-stage cycles but far simpler, which suits small-scale plants and floating units.See also floating liquefaction

These terms are covered in the liquefaction track.

Ageing#

The gradual change in LNG composition during storage or a long voyage, as lighter methane boils off first and leaves the remaining liquid heavier and higher in heating value.See also boil-off gas, boiling point

Ballast voyage#

The return leg with tanks empty apart from the heel. Freight economics depend on it as much as on the laden leg, because the ship earns nothing while repositioning.See also laden voyage, heel

Boil-off gasBOG#

The fraction of cargo that evaporates each day as heat leaks through the insulation, typically around 0.1 per cent of volume on a modern carrier. Evaporation is what keeps the remaining liquid cold, so it cannot simply be prevented.Read the explainerSee also heel, reliquefaction, ageing

Boil-off rateBOR#

Daily boil-off as a percentage of cargo volume, a headline specification when a ship is chartered. Modern newbuildings quote figures near 0.085 per cent a day; older steam ships were several times that.See also boil-off gas

Bunkering#

Supplying LNG as fuel to a ship, rather than as cargo. It needs its own small fleet of bunker vessels and its own terminal infrastructure, and is a distinct market from LNG trade.See also small-scale lng

Cargo#

One shipload of LNG, in practice a convenient trading unit. A conventional carrier of about 174,000 cubic metres holds roughly 78,000 tonnes, so around thirteen cargoes make a million tonnes.See also cubic metre of lng, million tonnes per annum

Cargo containment system#

The tanks, insulation and barriers that hold the cargo and keep the hull from ever seeing cryogenic temperature. It is the defining choice in an LNG carrier's design.Read the explainerSee also membrane containment, moss sphere

Cofferdam#

An empty insulating space between adjacent cargo tanks or between a tank and machinery, preventing heat transfer and keeping incompatible spaces apart.

Cooldown#

Spraying LNG into warm tanks to bring them gradually to cargo temperature before loading. Done too quickly it thermally shocks the containment, so it is a slow, controlled operation.See also heel, gassing up

Cubic metre of LNG#

The unit used for ship and tank capacity, measuring liquid volume rather than mass or energy. One cubic metre of LNG weighs roughly 430 to 470 kilograms and yields about 600 cubic metres of gas.Read the explainer

Custody transfer#

The measurement that determines how much energy changed hands at loading or discharge, and therefore what is paid. It combines tank gauging, temperature and density measurement and a composition analysis.See also gauging

DFDE and TFDEDFDE / TFDE#

Dual-fuel or tri-fuel diesel electric propulsion, where medium-speed engines burning gas or oil generate electricity for propulsion motors. It replaced steam as the standard through the 2000s.See also steam turbine propulsion, me-gi

Emergency shutdownESD#

The linked system that stops cargo transfer and closes valves on both ship and shore within seconds. A second stage releases the loading arms if the vessel drifts beyond safe limits.See also loading arm, ship–shore interface

Freight rate#

The daily cost of hiring an LNG carrier. Because the fleet is small and shipbuilding slots are limited, rates can move by an order of magnitude within a year.See also spot charter, time charter

Gas combustion unitGCU#

A burner that safely disposes of boil-off gas the engines cannot use, for instance in port or at low speed. Burning cargo is a loss, but venting methane is worse.See also boil-off gas, methane slip

Gassing up#

Displacing inert gas in the tanks with methane vapour before cooldown, so that no carbon dioxide remains to freeze and no air remains to form a flammable mixture.See also inerting, cooldown

Gauging#

Measuring the liquid level in a cargo tank to a certified accuracy, usually by radar or float. Small errors matter because a single cargo is worth tens of millions of dollars.See also custody transfer

Heel#

The small quantity of LNG deliberately retained after discharge to keep the tanks cold on the ballast voyage. Without it the ship would arrive warm and need a full cooldown before loading.See also ballast voyage, cooldown

Ice class#

A classification indicating a hull and machinery strengthened to operate in ice. Arc7 vessels serving Arctic projects can break ice astern without an escorting icebreaker for much of the year.

Inerting#

Filling tanks and voids with inert gas, usually nitrogen or flue gas, so that no flammable atmosphere can form during maintenance or a change of service.See also gassing up

Invar#

A nickel-iron alloy that barely expands or contracts with temperature, used for the membrane in NO96 tanks precisely because it does not move as the cargo cools it. Supply of Invar for this purpose is highly concentrated.See also no96, cryogenic

Laden voyage#

The leg of a round trip carrying cargo, from loading port to discharge port.See also ballast voyage

LNG carrier#

A ship built around insulated tanks holding liquefied gas at about minus 162 degrees Celsius, with machinery able to burn the vapour that inevitably boils off. Conventional sizes today cluster near 174,000 cubic metres.Read the explainer

Loading arm#

The articulated, insulated pipe assembly that connects a jetty to a ship's manifold. Arms carry emergency release couplings so they part cleanly if the ship moves off the berth.See also emergency shutdown, ship–shore interface

Mark III#

A membrane containment design using a corrugated stainless steel primary barrier over reinforced polyurethane foam panels. Licensed by GTT, and the usual alternative to NO96.See also membrane containment, no96

ME-GI#

A two-stroke engine injecting gas at high pressure late in the compression stroke, giving diesel-cycle efficiency on gas with very little unburned methane. It requires a high-pressure fuel gas compressor.See also x-df, methane slip

Membrane containment#

A containment family in which a thin metal barrier, about a millimetre thick, holds the liquid and leans on the ship's hull through a layer of insulation for structural support. It dominates the modern fleet.Read the explainerSee also no96, mark iii, invar

Moss sphere#

A free-standing spherical aluminium tank carrying its own structural loads, supported at its equator and visible above deck. Rare in new construction but robust, and unaffected by cargo sloshing at partial fill.Read the explainerSee also sloshing, spb tank

NO96#

A membrane containment design using two identical Invar barriers separated by plywood boxes filled with insulating perlite or glass wool. Licensed by GTT.See also invar, membrane containment, mark iii

Q-Flex and Q-Max#

Very large LNG carriers of roughly 210,000 and 266,000 cubic metres built for Qatar's export projects. Their size limits which terminals can receive them, and they were the first big ships fitted with onboard reliquefaction.See also reliquefaction, lng carrier

Reliquefaction#

Cooling boil-off gas back to liquid and returning it to the tanks instead of burning it. It preserves cargo volume at the cost of a substantial power demand, and makes most sense on long voyages with expensive cargo.Read the explainerSee also boil-off gas, subcooler

Secondary barrier#

A second liquid-tight layer behind the primary membrane, able to contain a leak for a defined period so the ship can reach port. Its presence and extent is a central requirement of the IGC Code.See also igc code, membrane containment

Ship-to-ship transferSTS#

Transferring cargo directly between two vessels moored alongside each other, at anchor or under way. It is how floating storage units are replenished and how cargoes are broken into smaller parcels.See also break bulk

Ship–shore interface#

Everything that has to match between a vessel and a berth before a transfer can happen: manifold height and spacing, mooring arrangement, transfer rate, and the linked shutdown systems.See also loading arm, emergency shutdown

Sloshing#

Violent movement of liquid in a partly filled tank as the ship rolls and pitches, which can damage a membrane. It is why membrane ships historically had filling restrictions and why free-standing tanks suit partial loads.See also membrane containment, moss sphere

SPB tank#

A self-supporting prismatic tank with internal bulkheads that suppress sloshing, fitting the hull form more efficiently than a sphere. Developed by IHI and used on a small number of vessels and floating units.See also moss sphere, sloshing

Spot charter#

Hiring a vessel for a single voyage at a rate set by the market of the moment. Spot rates swing violently because the fleet cannot grow quickly and demand is seasonal.See also time charter, freight rate

Steam turbine propulsion#

Boilers raising steam for a turbine, able to burn boil-off gas and fuel oil interchangeably. Thermally inefficient but simple and tolerant, and it dominated the fleet for decades for exactly that reason.See also dfde and tfde, me-gi

Subcooler#

A partial reliquefaction unit that chills boil-off below its boiling point and returns it, reducing rather than eliminating cargo loss. Common on two-stroke ships that would otherwise vent or burn the excess.See also reliquefaction

Time charter#

Hiring a vessel with its crew for a period, paying a daily rate while the charterer directs the voyages and pays the fuel. The standard way portfolio players secure shipping.See also spot charter, freight rate

X-DF#

A two-stroke engine admitting gas at low pressure on the Otto cycle, avoiding the high-pressure compressor at the cost of somewhat higher methane slip. The main alternative to ME-GI on modern carriers.See also me-gi, methane slip

These terms are covered in the shipping track.

9% nickel steel#

The alloy conventionally used for the inner shell of an LNG storage tank, chosen because it stays tough rather than brittle at cryogenic temperature. High-manganese steels are a newer alternative.See also cryogenic, high-manganese steel

Ambient air vaporiser#

A vaporiser drawing heat from the air over large finned towers. It uses almost no energy but needs a warm climate, a lot of land, and time for the fins to defrost.

Break bulk#

Splitting a full cargo at a terminal into smaller parcels for onward distribution by small carrier, barge or truck. It is how island and remote markets are supplied.See also small-scale lng, ship-to-ship transfer

Floating storage and regasification unitFSRU#

A vessel that stores LNG and regasifies it while moored, doing the job of an onshore import terminal without the onshore construction. Faster and cheaper to deploy, generally smaller in send-out, and it can leave.Read the explainerSee also send-out, floating storage unit

Floating storage unitFSU#

A moored vessel providing storage only, with regasification done onshore or on a separate unit. Often an older carrier at the end of its trading life.See also floating storage and regasification unit

Full containment tank#

A storage tank whose outer concrete wall can hold the entire liquid contents and contain vapour if the inner tank fails. It is the standard for new onshore terminals.See also 9% nickel steel

High-manganese steel#

A cryogenic steel using manganese rather than nickel for low-temperature toughness, developed as a cheaper substitute for 9% nickel plate in tanks and fuel systems.See also 9% nickel steel

ISO tank#

A vacuum-insulated cryogenic tank built inside a standard intermodal container frame, so LNG can move by ship, rail and road without transferring the liquid.See also small-scale lng

Open rack vaporiserORV#

A vaporiser that warms LNG using seawater flowing over finned panels. Cheap to run where seawater is warm enough, with no fuel burned and no emissions at the point of use.See also submerged combustion vaporiser

Peak shaving#

Holding LNG in storage specifically to meet short winter demand peaks that pipelines and production cannot cover. Some import terminals exist mainly for this rather than for baseload supply.

Reloading#

Loading LNG from an import terminal's storage back onto a ship, usually to move a cargo to a better market. A terminal that can reload is a trading asset as well as a supply point.See also arbitrage

Rollover#

The sudden mixing of two stratified layers of LNG at different densities in a storage tank, which can release a large volume of vapour at once. It is prevented by monitoring density and filling tanks in a way that keeps the contents mixed.See also stratification, ageing

Send-out#

The rate at which an import terminal delivers regasified LNG into the pipeline grid, normally quoted in million cubic metres a day. It is the capacity figure that matters for an import terminal, more than storage volume.See also peak shaving

Small-scale LNG#

Production, transport and distribution of LNG in quantities far below a conventional cargo, using small tankers, ISO tanks and road trailers to reach places no pipeline or large terminal serves.See also iso tank, break bulk

Stratification#

Stable layers of differing density forming in a storage tank, usually after loading a cargo of different composition on top of an existing heel. Left alone, it is the precondition for rollover.See also rollover

Submerged combustion vaporiserSCV#

A vaporiser that burns gas to heat a water bath through which the LNG tubes pass. Reliable in any weather and quick to start, but it consumes roughly 1.5 per cent of throughput as fuel.See also open rack vaporiser

These terms are covered in the regasification track.

Arbitrage#

Redirecting a cargo to whichever market pays more, once the extra freight is covered. It is why the Atlantic and Pacific basins behave as one market when the price spread is wide enough.See also netback, jkm

Delivered ex shipDES#

A sale where the seller delivers to the buyer's terminal and bears the shipping. Simpler for a buyer without ships, and it keeps routing control with the seller.See also free on board

Destination clause#

A contract term restricting where a cargo may be delivered, historically common in Asian contracts. Competition authorities have pressed against them because they prevent resale into higher-priced markets.See also arbitrage, free on board

Final investment decisionFID#

The point at which owners commit the capital to build. Before FID a project is a proposal however advanced it looks; after it, construction and long-lead orders begin.Read the explainerSee also pre-construction

Free on boardFOB#

A sale where title passes at the loading port and the buyer arranges shipping. FOB cargoes can be sent anywhere, which is what makes them useful for trading.See also delivered ex ship, destination clause

Henry Hub#

The Louisiana pipeline junction whose price is the United States gas benchmark, and the basis for most US LNG contracts, typically at 115 per cent of Henry Hub plus a fixed liquefaction fee.See also liquefaction fee, ttf

JKM#

The Japan Korea Marker, the benchmark spot price for LNG delivered into north-east Asia. It is the reference most spot cargoes and many newer contracts are priced against.See also ttf, henry hub

Liquefaction fee#

The charge for turning a customer's gas into LNG under a tolling arrangement, usually a fixed capacity payment plus a variable component. It is paid whether or not the customer lifts the cargo.See also tolling agreement, take-or-pay

Million British thermal unitsMMBtu#

The energy unit LNG is priced in almost everywhere. One tonne of LNG contains roughly 52 MMBtu, though the precise figure depends on composition.See also higher and lower heating value, jkm

Netback#

The value of a cargo at the loading port after deducting freight and other delivery costs from the destination price. Comparing netbacks across destinations is how a trader chooses where to send a ship.See also arbitrage

Offtake agreement#

A buyer's commitment to take a defined volume from a project, which is what turns a proposal into something financeable.See also sale and purchase agreement, final investment decision

Oil indexation#

Pricing LNG as a percentage of a crude oil marker, historically Japan Customs-cleared Crude. It survives from an era when LNG competed with fuel oil and there was no gas price to reference.See also slope, jkm

S-curve#

A price formula whose slope flattens at very high and very low oil prices, sharing extreme risk between buyer and seller rather than leaving it all with one side.See also slope, oil indexation

Sale and purchase agreementSPA#

The long-term contract governing LNG supply, setting volume, price formula, delivery point and duration. Lenders have historically required a portfolio of them before financing a liquefaction project.See also take-or-pay, offtake agreement

Slope#

The coefficient in an oil-indexed price formula, quoted as a percentage of the oil price. A 13 per cent slope against 80 dollar oil gives roughly 10.40 dollars per MMBtu before constants.See also oil indexation, s-curve

Take-or-pay#

A contract term obliging the buyer to pay for a minimum volume whether or not it is lifted. It is what gives a project the revenue certainty to be financed.See also sale and purchase agreement

Tolling agreement#

An arrangement where a customer supplies its own gas and pays a fee for liquefaction, keeping title to the molecules throughout. It shifts commodity price risk from the plant owner to the customer.See also liquefaction fee

TTF#

Title Transfer Facility, the Dutch virtual trading point that serves as Europe's benchmark gas price and, in practice, the price European LNG competes against.See also jkm, henry hub

These terms are covered in the markets track.

Exclusion zone#

The area around a terminal within which development is restricted, sized from thermal radiation and vapour dispersion modelling. It is often the binding constraint on where a terminal can be built.See also pool fire, vapour cloud dispersion

Fugitive emissions#

Unintended methane releases from valves, flanges, seals and vents across the chain. They are hard to measure and are the main uncertainty in any lifecycle emissions estimate for LNG.See also lifecycle emissions, methane slip

IGC Code#

The International Maritime Organization's mandatory code for ships carrying liquefied gases in bulk, covering containment, materials, venting, and crew protection. Every LNG carrier is built and certified to it.See also secondary barrier, sigtto

Lifecycle emissions#

Total greenhouse gas emissions from production through liquefaction, shipping and regasification to combustion. Estimates vary widely because upstream methane leakage is poorly measured and heavily weighted.See also fugitive emissions

Methane slip#

Unburned methane passing through an engine into the exhaust. It matters out of proportion to its volume because methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide over the short term.See also x-df, me-gi

Pool fire#

A fire burning above a spreading pool of spilled LNG. It is the dominant hazard in terminal siting studies because of the thermal radiation it puts on surrounding areas.See also exclusion zone

Rapid phase transitionRPT#

A physical explosion, with no combustion, caused by LNG vaporising almost instantaneously on contact with water. It can damage nearby structures but does not produce the energies of a chemical explosion.

SIGTTO#

The Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators, the industry body whose guidance on ship and terminal operations is treated as the practical standard alongside the IGC Code.See also igc code

Vapour cloud dispersion#

The drift of cold, initially heavier-than-air methane vapour from a spill until it warms and rises or disperses below its flammable limit. Modelling it sets the exclusion distances around a terminal.See also exclusion zone, pool fire

These terms are covered in the safety track.

Global Energy MonitorGEM#

The research organisation whose Global Gas Infrastructure Tracker supplies the terminal and pipeline data on this site, published under a CC BY 4.0 licence.See also global gas infrastructure tracker

Global Gas Infrastructure TrackerGGIT#

Global Energy Monitor's asset-level dataset of gas transmission pipelines and LNG import and export terminals, released periodically and cited on every page here that renders it.See also global energy monitor

Mothballed#

A tracker status for a built facility taken out of service but preserved so it could be restarted, as distinct from retired.Read the explainer

Not reported#

How this site renders a field the source leaves empty. It never means zero and never means the value is unknown to anyone; it means the tracker does not carry it, and nothing has been estimated in its place.

Pre-construction#

A tracker status meaning a project has passed proposal and is being prepared to build, typically with permits or a final investment decision in hand, but where construction has not started.Read the explainerSee also final investment decision, shelved

Shelved#

A tracker status for a project that has stopped moving without being formally cancelled. It is the honest label for the large number of proposals that quietly stall.Read the explainerSee also pre-construction

These terms are covered in the reading the data track.