According to data compiled by the Japan Industrial and Medical Gases Association (JIMGA) for 2016, tanker trucks carrying liquid oxygen (O2), nitrogen (N2), argon (Ar) and carbon dioxide (CO2) travelled a total of 127.61 million km in 2016, The Gas Review revealed.
This data was tabulated by the JIMGA based on reports on liquid gas transported quantities, total transportation distances and fuel consumption from seven member companies – Taiyo Nippon Sanso, Air Water, Air Liquide Japan, Iwatani Corp., Nippon Ekitan, Showa Denko Gas Products and Air Water Tansan.
The total transportation distances were 24.60 million km for liquid O2, 61.11 million km for liquid N2, 12.72 million km for liquid Ar and 29.12 million km for liquefied CO2.
Taking a look at the 10-year trends from 2006 along with liquid gas sales quantities during the same periods show that liquid gas sales, transported quantities and total transportation distances all followed similar trends for air separated gases but that transportation distances greatly increased in comparison with sales quantities and transported quantities and transported quantities for liquefied CO2. Specifically, if liquefied CO2 sales for 2006 are taken as 100, sales decreased to 90.2 but the total transportation distance was up more than 30 points to 135.6 in 2016. Insufficient raw gas and the closing of gas sources resulted in more transportation between gas centres, causing an increase in transportation between centres that is not directly related to sales quantities. Over 10 years, the distances travelled by liquefied CO2 tanker trucks increased annually by 7.66 million km, creating higher costs due to increases in the number of tanker trucks in operation and greater fuel consumption.
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