Why Not Export Natural Gas Via Pan-Asian Pipeline?
Liquid natural gas (LNG) is expensive, complicated and emission intensive. Why not export Australia’s natural gas to Asian markets instead by cheaper, cleaner pipeline? A ‘common-carrier’ gas pipeline between Australia and Southeast Asia would fit well with existing and planned regional infrastructure. Doing so could 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 natural gas pipelines laid side-by-side between Australia and southeast Asia could benefit the entire region by creating an unified, integrated, security-hardened energy infrastructure. The ideas are outlined in “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. The crossover point where LNG is considered more economical is about 2,000 kilometers. Given that labo
