API Standards Support LNG Exports, Future Economic Recovery
Debra Phillips
Posted June 15, 2020
During this moment of public health and economic uncertainty, the natural gas and oil industry has taken steps to ensure the integrity of our products and develop new standards that add value for our customers, while bolstering efficiency and sustainability throughout the supply chain.
API has focused squarely on the thriving U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) market through our voluntary standards program, and we believe that our best practices and engineering standards are essential to the future of the U.S. LNG export market.
Recent development of the U.S. LNG export market has been an historic success story for the environment and the economy. And API’s development of new standards and industry practices for LNG will enable the responsible, sustainable momentum of this market far into the future.
Recently, API’s standards division published a first-of-its-kind LNG measurement standard within its Manual of Petroleum Measurement Standards (MPMS). The new Chapter 8.6 standard is focused on helping LNG suppliers accurately and safely sample and measure the fuel’s quality and energy content.
This new standard will ensure that fuel buyers understand the methods used to determine the quality of the LNG at the point of transfer, and it also emphasizes the need for rigorous safety measures for preventing injuries while conducting LNG sampling.
This is one of API’s first steps toward identifying new ways to support the recent exponential growth of U.S. LNG. While the short-term market conditions are still uncertain, energy analysts project long-term demand growth for America’s natural gas and oil that we as an organization stand ready to support.
API continues to advocate for affordable, reliable and cleaner-burning natural gas, which benefits the U.S. and our global trading partners. The industry’s capacity to transport natural gas to market has never been better – and natural gas storage has remained robust, according to the Energy Information Administration.
With a forward-looking approach, API continues to strengthen U.S. LNG production and export capacity. America remains the world’s largest natural gas producer, and the energy industry can enhance our energy security by implementing best practices and technical standards that encourage ongoing economic and environmental progress.
About The Author
Debra Phillips is senior vice president of API’s Global Industry Services division, which is responsible for standards setting, certification, training, events, publications and safety programs for industry operations. Before joining API, Debra served on the leadership team at the American Chemistry Council, where she was the catalyst behind the chemical industry’s sustainability strategy. She earned her undergraduate degree in biology from Albright College and holds a master’s degree in environmental toxicology from Duke University.