Natural Gas Liquids (NGL)

Natural gas liquids, such as butane and propane, are stripped out from gas streams and sold separately. Some NGL are removed at field processing plants to meet pipeline specifications, as well as environmental and conservation objectives.

NGL are also removed at straddle plants located along major pipelines. Straddle plants are found at Cochrane, Edmonton and Empress, Alberta. A pipeline network gathers and transports NGL to petrochemical plants and other markets.

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)

Liquified natural gas is natural gas in its liquid state. As a liquid, natural gas is reduced to 1/600th of its original volume. This makes it feasible and economical to transport over long distances in specially designed ocean tankers. Once received, the LNG goes into storage tanks, is re-gasified, and delivered to markets. North America accounts for a relatively small portion of worldwide LNG demand, as it is largely self-sufficient in terms of natural gas production. In 2009, Canada received its first ever shipment of LNG.

Canada currently has one operating LNG import facility, the Canaport terminal in Saint John, New Brunswick. Kitimat LNG has a proposal for a LNG export facility in the Port of Kitimat, B.C. Originally slated to be an LNG import facility, in 2008 Kitimat reversed its proposal to an LNG export facility.