Why not export Australian natural gas via Pan-Asian pipeline?
by Stewart Taggart LIQUID natural gas (LNG) is expensive, complicated, and emission intensive. So why not export Australia’s natural gas to Asian markets instead by a cheaper, cleaner, pipeline? A ‘common-carrier’ gas pipeline between Australia and SE Asia would fit well with existing and planned regional infrastructure, and could also reduce the economic costs, environmental hazards, and technological obsolescence risks posed by LNG. Desertec-Australia believes that a system of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power lines and gas pipelines laid side-by-side between Australia and SE Asia could benefit the entire region by creating an unified, integrated, security-hardened energy infrastructure. The ideas are outlined in the company’s report 2050: Australia – clean energy superpower. Natural gas is currently shipped to market either by pipeline in its native form or by tanker as compressed liquid natural gas. LNG has to be carried around 2,000km by tanker before it is considered more
