Japan Seeks to Lower Gas Transporting Costs

In order to lower the cost of transporting natural gas from small and midsize gas fields in Southeast Asia, Japan has set a policy to start commercially transporting natural gas in solid form by 2008.

As transporting natural gas in solid form is much cheaper than moving liquefied natural gas, the government expects to employ the method at numerous small gas fields located in Southeast Asia, many of which are currently unexploited.

The plan will significantly help Japan compete for energy resources with China, India and other emerging economies, which are desperately seeking to secure natural gas supplies.