LNG Emergency Preparedness and Industry Sustainability Discussed at LNG 15

In the final session of LNG 15 in Barcelona on Friday afternoon, panelists presented papers on issues of LNG training and sustainability. Kevin Westwood of BP and Mike Wilson of Angus Fire addressed LNG emergency management and response focusing on the BP-sponsored LNG Test Facility at the Texas A&M Fire School. They highlighted the fact that current safety standards under NFPA59A currently do not recognize the value in using foam as a fire retardant to reduce the risk of vapor cloud ignition and allowing for controlled burn-off of released LNG. [LNGLawBlog attended this session.]

Phani Raj of Technology Management Systems, Inc. discussed public perception of LNG safety and the factual realities of LNG. He urged the industry to “make every effort to convince the public” that LNG is comparable to the gasoline that the public uses and relies on every day. Raj presented information regarding the impact of barriers between humans and an LNG fire in reducing heat flux. Citing the positive relations between the Everett LNG terminal and local emergency responders, he emphasized the need for transparency in the industry and urged LNG developers to cultivate good relationships with local host communities. His presentation was based on a paper written jointly with Frank Katulak of Distrigas of Massachusetts.