{
  "id": "RL32666",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL32666",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 341339,
      "date": "2007-08-27",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-07T17:57:01.974029",
      "title": "The Gas to Liquids Industry and Natural Gas Markets",
      "summary": "Technological improvements and investment commitments from the world\u2019s largest oil companies suggest the gas to liquids (GTL) industry is likely to expand rapidly over the next decade. GTL uses large quantities of natural gas to produce liquid petroleum products like diesel fuel and home heating fuel. The GTL industry might become an important competitor to the liquefied natural gas industry (LNG) in the effort to secure natural gas supplies. As a result, LNG markets may be tighter, with higher prices, potentially altering LNG\u2019s projected role in the U.S. natural gas market.\nThe Energy Information Administration projects U.S. natural gas consumption increases of 18.6% by 2030, compared to 2005 levels. Much of this increased demand is expected to be met by importing LNG. LNG is natural gas that has been cooled to a liquid state to facilitate transportation. Although expanding LNG imports has drawbacks, the main positive factor is the belief that worldwide, there are large quantities of natural gas that have previously not had access to the market. Some believe that as the supply of imported LNG expands, it will provide a price cap for U.S. natural gas markets. An expanded GTL industry makes this result potentially less likely.\nThe GTL industry is poised for a major expansion based in Qatar, but also in Nigeria and Australia. The expansion is being funded by the major oil companies, in some cases in tandem with synthetic fuel companies and national oil companies. The projected expansion of the industry is based on favorable market conditions in addition to advances in technology. High oil and natural gas prices, declining capital investment costs, and improvements in technology that allow large scale production facilities are important factors in the industry\u2019s expansion.\nThe GTL industry offers an attractive choice to nations with economically stranded natural gas reserves because it allows those nations to diversify in the use of their resources. Diversification allows producing nations to gain higher rates of return than through a singular investment strategy. Consuming nations may find that dependence on one supply source, in this case LNG, does not offer the supply security and potential price stability of a diversified strategy.\nFor the United States, alternatives to increasing LNG imports include a pipeline to bring natural gas from Alaska, expanded exploration and development in areas, both on and off shore, that are currently restricted, and policies to enhance the development of current reserves. None of these alternatives alone is likely to close the projected gap between U.S. natural gas production and demand. The competition for natural gas resources between the LNG and the GTL industries may alter the parameters of the debate.\nThis report will not be updated.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "encoding": "utf-8",
          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL32666",
          "sha1": "3809fd5a7ac70564ad02f901b96716aa9753b01d",
          "filename": "files/20070827_RL32666_3809fd5a7ac70564ad02f901b96716aa9753b01d.html",
          "images": null
        },
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "encoding": null,
          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL32666",
          "sha1": "f235470d4c48dd67e0ac682eaad325ac7a929380",
          "filename": "files/20070827_RL32666_f235470d4c48dd67e0ac682eaad325ac7a929380.pdf",
          "images": null
        }
      ],
      "topics": []
    },
    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc822721/",
      "id": "RL32666_2004Nov08",
      "date": "2004-11-08",
      "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26",
      "title": "The Gas to Liquids Industry and Natural Gas Markets",
      "summary": "This report provides and analyzes basic information concerning the gas to liquids industry (GTL) industry to inform debate on broad energy legislation, as well as more specific natural gas legislation on supply issues including an Alaskan natural gas pipeline as well as LNG facility development.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORT",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "filename": "files/20041108_RL32666_4770d1d4f8488b11cb494f438350edaa4ec19278.pdf"
        },
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "filename": "files/20041108_RL32666_4770d1d4f8488b11cb494f438350edaa4ec19278.html"
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Energy",
          "name": "Energy"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Liquefied natural gas",
          "name": "Liquefied natural gas"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Gas industry",
          "name": "Gas industry"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "topics": []
}