the United States where demand has been increasing and domestic gas 

 production has been declining in recent years. The United States can 

 expect to see additional regasification facilities, with the possibility 

 of liquefaction plants in Alaska. Currently, an LNG liquefaction plant 

 is under construction in Indonesia with its counterpart regasification 

 plant proposed for Oxnard, California. Other LNG regasification plants 

 nearing completion are at Cove Point, Maryland, and Elba Island, Georgia 



Description 



An LNG regasification plant generally has an elevated pier or 

 trestle as much as 6,500 feet long to receive liquefied gas from the LNG 

 tankers berthed offshore. (Cove Point has a tunnel.) The LNG is delivered 

 to two or more storage tanks of 3 million cubic foot capacity before 

 processing to return it to a gaseous state. The proposed LNG facility 

 and trestle at Oxnard, California, consists of 218 acres, with 30 acres 

 to be initially developed (expected to reach a maximum of 46 acres). 

 The remaining acreage is either landscaped or undeveloped. The tanks are 

 to be 80 feet high and 239 feet across. A reinforced concrete dike 

 around each tank will be able to contain its entire contents. From the 

 regasification plant pipelines carry vaporized gas to the gas company's 

 existing distribution system [52]. 



Site Requirements 



Due to the possibility of an accidental explosion, LNG liquefaction 

 and regasification plants are generally located to avoid populated areas 

 and should have substantial acreages of buffer, preferably wooded, 

 between the plant and other land uses. The site size may extend to 

 approximately 1,000 acres. Plant functions should be located no closer 

 than one-third of a mile from neighboring roads, buildings, etc. and 

 preferably should be further. The proposed site for an LNG facility 

 must be level and capable of supporting heavy-weight storage tanks. 



The plants are typically located on the coast and have an 

 ocean connection due to the necessary tanker transport. While con- 

 venient, the coastal location is not a necessity. The processes which 

 are conducted in either a liquefaction or regasification plant could 

 occur at an inland site and probably at a greatly reduced cost in terms 

 of acquisition. This may be particularly true where a large buffer is 

 part of the facility plan. It is necessary to have a navigational 

 channel and a marine terminal. Tanker drafts may exceed 35 feet so the 

 terminal may have to be located some distance offshore or access channels 

 and turning basins may be dredged. Sandy areas will make dredging 

 operations easier compared to rocky seabottoms. 



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