DECEMBER 18, 2015--During the week of December 8, NOAA Scientific Support Coordinators Paige Doelling and Steve Lehmann, along with approximately 80 senior U. S. Coast Guard (USCG) officers, and 150 industry partners, attended the USCG Liquefied Gas Senior Executive Forum held in Houston, Texas.

While there has been focus on the oil produced by shale plays ("play" is a term for shale oil field.) like the Bakken formation, less attention has been given to the abundant supply of natural gas produced by them. So much natural gas is produced, in fact, that the United States is shifting from a net importer to a net exporter. This shift has profound implications for the maritime transport system, and for the risk picture associated with vessels carrying and/or using these fuels. Several large natural gas liquefaction facilities are under construction, or have recently been completed in the Gulf Coast region, and others are being developed on the Atlantic and Pacific seaboards.

The forum addressed a range of topics, including the chemistry of these fuels, appropriate response procedures in case of a release, development in various sectors of the industry, and was concluded with tours of the Cameron Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) facility and construction of an LNG Bunker Barge at Conrad Shipyard.

For additional information, please contact Paige.Doelling@noaa.gov or Steve.Lehmann@noaa.gov.

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