Explosion Hazards of LNG and LPG Carriers during Transport

Abstract

The rising demand for energy sources will result in the shipment of large quantities of liquid natural gas (LNG) and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) from their points of production in the Middle East and Alaska to points of consumption in Europe, Japan, and North America. The anticipated increase in traffic makes it imperative to examine the explosion hazards associated with the passage of liquefied gas tankers near heavily populated areas, as well as the gas leakage that could develop in pipelines and storage facilities. Accordingly, this paper addresses itself to the computation of the pressure waves generated by the possible deflagration or detonation associated with such spillage or gas leakage.