Push is on for LNG to boost supplies

HOUSTON – Since hurricanes Katrina and Rita slammed the Gulf Coast nearly five months ago, the region has lost more than 610 billion cubic feet of natural gas production.

That’s about 3 percent of the nation’s annual production and enough to power homes in eight Southern states, including Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi for one year, according to the American Gas Association.

There is no single solution to offsetting supply disruptions, but economists, industry executives and analysts tout one means to ease future shortages against increasing demand.

They advocate placing aboveground storage tanks along the nation’s coasts where energy companies can store imported liquefied natural gas, also known as LNG.

AP