Thursday, May 18, 2017

Why Bomb Trucks "make sense"

Why shipping CNG in intermodal shipping containers ("bomb trucks") makes sense*, vs LNG.

(* makes sense if you have an industrialist mindset)

TinyURL.com/VestalBombTrucks

You can compress methane to 3,600 psig (240 ATM) and call it CNG. I think of 240 ATM as 240x concentrated. I'm guessing 3,600 psig is reaching practical limits of pressurized vessels. A bomb truck with a 40'ft standard shipping container of CNG (like these Hexagon Lincoln TITAN-XL designed in Norway) holds 12 tons of methane.

Or you can freeze it with cryogenics –260°F which is 600x concentrated. A 40'ft shipping container of LNG holds 20-25 tons. 

But LNG is at least 2 orders of magnitude more complex and expensive than CNG. You spend 100x in capital and incur much higher risks and operational costs for only 2x more gas. 

Add to these $400k in direct subsidies and tax deferments granted to XNG by PA Gov. Wolf.

Add to this the fact these trucks were missing apportioned tags, IFTA, NY HUT, and PA road use tax decals. (Saves money if you don't pay your taxes).

Add to this that FERC denies jurisdiction, so no formal application, no EIS. Also, NY PSC signs-off, so no NY SEQRA EIS. No environment review and no regulation saves money!!!!!

I expect we're going to be seeing much more of these stealth CNG intermodal tankers. 


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May you, and all beings
be happy and free from suffering :)
-- ancient Buddhist Prayer (Metta)

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