Natural Gas and LNG
Considerably less contaminating in combustion than its equivalent in coal or heavy fuel oil, natural gas is an ideal choice for more environment-friendly energy production. In addition, the natural gas liquefaction process is of particular advantage in terms of storage and transport. Active throughout the gas value chain with more than 16 million customers in Europe – including 9,6 million gas contracts in France – GDF SUEZ is Europe’s leading gas player.
Natural gas, a different fossil energy source
Like oil and coal, natural gas originates from the natural transformation of organic matter into gas, with the significant distinctive feature of being the least polluting fossil fuel.
GDF SUEZ is a major gas agent in Europe:
- No. 2 buyer,
- No. 1 transport and distribution network manager,
- No. 1 storage operator,
- No. 1 in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
In 2012, natural gas accounted for 59% of Group capacities and 56% of its electrical production. By focusing on the best technologies and achieving the highest performances (combined gas-steam cycles), GDF SUEZ further improves the energy and environmental efficiency of its facillities.
An essential and increasing part in the global energy mix
Posting high in the global energy balance, natural gas has seen its share grow steadily since the 1970s. .
- It accounts for over 20% of global energy consumption.
- Global demand has been increasing by an average of 2.5% a year for the past 10 years.
- The International Energy Agency is expecting consumption to double by 2030.
Natural gas is a non-renewable resource, the reserves of which are unevenly distributed across the world: two thirds are located in Russia and in the Middle East. Securing the conditions for its supply, transport and storage thus represents an absolute priority for GDF SUEZ.
GDF SUEZ, active across the entire gas chain
From the gas field to the end user, the gas chain comprises many links. GDF SUEZ is active on each and every one of them:
- exploration-production (procurement of permits, seismic analysis, securing supplies, field operation, resource development, etc.) to identify and exploit new fields,
- gas supply (service continuity, transport infrastructures, reduction of transportation costs, etc.
- transport by land (by gasoduct) or by sea in the form of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) (transport network management, connection and delivery, safety management, etc.),
- storage,
- distribution (upkeep, operation and development of the network, network additions, etc.) to the end-client,
- associated energy services (advice, assistance to works managers, solutions for energy efficiency, industrial maintenance, etc.)
GDF SUEZ, the European LNG leader
Natural gas liquefies at – 160 °C. Its volume is then reduced 600 times.
Transported by sea on specially designed LNG tankers, LNG is the ideal solution for exploiting fields located in other continents where building gasoducts is not a possible solution. Offloaded at LNG terminals, LNG is then stored, regasified, and afterwards injected into the natural gas transport network.
