Polluting extraction and transport
On the positive aspects, first. LNG releases less CO₂ during combustion than its competitors, such as oil or coal. The list of environmental benefits ends here. Because upstream, the extraction of this fossil gas, essentially composed of methane, poses multiple dangers for the planet. “Methane has a much stronger warming effect than carbon dioxide“, specifies Inesa Ulichina, member of T&E. These emissions vary depending on the origin of the fuel and the way in which it is produced, also recalls the study.
Thus, American imports (20% of the European market) mainly come from shale gas exploitation. The particles are extracted from geological layers. Sometimes these are large reservoirs and extraction remains easy. In other cases, hydraulic fracturing is necessary. This technique involves breaking the rock to access the pockets“, explains Francesco Contino, specialist in e-fuels and professor at UCLouvain. This method, which consumes water and chemicals, lets large quantities of methane escape into the ambient air while contaminating groundwater. .
30% higher emissions
Once harvested, this gas must be liquefied in order to be transported aboard huge oval tank ships, called LNG carriers. If this gives importing countries more flexibility than gas pipeline pipes (a State can easily change supplier), the environmental slate grows even longer. It must be cooled to around minus 160 degrees in a large thermos bottle placed on a boat. With an outside temperature between 10 and 15 degrees, some of it may evaporate“, explains expert Francesco Contino.
Depending on the distance traveled by ships, the carbon footprint changes. In its study, Transport&Environment estimates that the text adopted by the European Union in 2023 does not take into account all the factors and differences between countries and therefore underestimates the environmental impact of these imports. “They use a standardized emissions factor of 18.5 grams of CO₂ equivalent per megajoule (MJ) of energy. But our analysis shows that emissions from imported LNG into Europe are actually 30% higher than that, or 24.4 gCO₂e/MJ. A single large container ship running on LNG would therefore emit an additional 2,731 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent each year“.
Within five years, one in four ships will sail using LNG. For the NGO, it remains important “to review the values in the FuelEU regulation. According to current legislation, liquefied natural gas seems a very attractive option. Companies will then continue to order LNG engines. However, we must find real solutions for the future“, explains Inesa Ulichina. Without a change of course, European maritime decarbonization objectives would risk failing.
