First shipment of LNG from Canada to China launches

SURREY, BC — Canada's LNG export industry recently reached a milestone with the departure of its first shipment to China in a pilot project to determine long-term feasibility. LNG was supplied by FortisBC's Tilbury facility in Delta, logistics and equipment were provided by True North Energy Corporation and CIMC ENRIC Holdings Limited, and the cargo was shipped from Vancouver.

Photo courtesy of FortisBC.

British Columbia's LNG industry has been steadily moving toward this goal and, in support of this, FortisBC has invested in expanding its Tilbury LNG storage facility and in innovative solutions to transport natural gas. True North has been exploring creative ways to bring Canadian natural gas to Asia and its market approach is key to this breakthrough.

By next year, China is projected to become the world's second largest LNG importer. The Chinese government is stepping up its efforts in combatting air pollution and LNG imports have more than tripled in the last six years.

The country is in the midst of an ambitious effort to convert millions of homes to natural gas heaters this winter and increase the industrial use of natural gas. However, with limited reserves of its own, the country is turning to producers with abundant resources to deliver natural gas, which is the cleanest-burning of all fossil fuels.

FortisBC has been liquefying natural gas at Tilbury since 1971, when the facility opened to supplement Lower Mainland supply during the coldest winter days. More recently, thanks to FortisBC innovations, natural gas is supplied to remote communities and heavy-duty vehicle fleets. Through its world-first marine bunkering process, FortisBC can also transport LNG to fuel vessels along the West Coast. These innovations helped FortisBC develop the capability to carry out this first shipment of LNG from Canada to China.

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