regasify

Regasify is a term used in the energy industry to describe the process of converting liquefied natural gas (LNG) back into gaseous natural gas. In LNG supply chains, regasification is performed at LNG import terminals or on floating regasification units (FSRUs) and is the step that makes LNG usable by consumers and gas networks.

During regasification, LNG is received by tanker and transferred to cryogenic storage tanks at the terminal. When gas is needed, LNG is directed to vaporizers where it is heated to ambient temperature and returned to a gaseous state. The heat source may include open rack vaporizers using sea water, submerged combustion vaporizers that burn fuel to heat a heat-transfer medium, or ambient air vaporizers that use ambient temperature air. The resulting natural gas is metered for quantity and quality and then injected into the local natural gas pipeline system or gas grid. Boil-off gas produced during regasification can be used to power equipment or mixed back into the gas stream.

Floating regasification installations enable regasification without permanent shore facilities, while onshore regasification terminals provide high-capacity throughput.

Regasification is the counterpart to liquefaction, which cools natural gas to cryogenic temperatures for transport. The term regasify emphasizes converting LNG back to gas to re-enter the energy supply system.