U.S. agencies coordinate on LNG terminal, ship safety review

U.S. agencies coordinate on LNG terminal, ship safety review    The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Coast Guard and the Transportation Department have signed a interagency agreement to coordinate safety and security reviews of liquefied natural gas import terminals and vessels.
   The U.S. government has stepped up its efforts to ensure the safety and security of LNG terminals and vessels since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States. Security experts warn that terrorist may attack LNG facilities.
   “The agreement clearly delineates the roles and responsibilities of each agency relative to LNG terminals and LNG tanker operations, and stipulates that the agencies identify issues early and quickly resolve them,” the agencies said in a joint statement.
   FERC, DOT’s Research and Special Programs Administration, and the Coast Guard are conducting a study to evaluate the hazards related to LNG spills on water to develop a model for calculating vapor and thermal hazards associated with these spills. The study results should be available by the end of March 2004, the agencies said.