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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Room for improvement ... Electric Highway aims to spark more EV use ... Rogue River man held on murder charge ... Room for improvement ... Electric Highway aims to spark more EV use ... Rogue River man held on murder charge ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Pipeline won't actually transport LNG Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jan. 14, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Jan. 14, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News To the Word Wizards at the MMT. I've got a couple of questions that you might be able to answer relating to concerns/questions that some locals might have.   What does liquified natural gas look like? How viscous is it. If it spills, does it look like Exxon Valdez gummy sticky tar that sticks to rocks and birds forever? Or is it thin and runny like gasoline. If there is a rupture in the pipeline, does the LNG volatilize and evaporate. Does it evaporate relatively quickly, or would it hang in a cloud like an inversion, waiting for a spark to ignite the sky? — James H., Medford To clarify a point frequently misunderstood, James, the proposed pipeline will not transport liquified natural gas. It will be transporting natural gas, in a clear, lighter than air, gaseous state. "Natural gas does not run, flow, puddle, stick, hang or wait,"  Dan Kirschner, executive director of the Northwest Gas Association, told us. Natural gas vents, rises and dissipates into the air rapidly. While the U.S. Transportation Department rates underground natural gas pipelines the safest form of energy transportation, LNG, or liquefied natural gas, is natural gas that is cooled to minus-260° Fahrenheit until it becomes a liquid and then stored at essentially atmospheric pressure. Converting natural gas to LNG reduces its volume by about 600 times. LNG is a super-cooled, clear, thin liquid. It must maintain its minus-260° temperature to remain a liquid; if any is spilled at the liquefaction site, it will very quickly evaporate. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them.   MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jan. 14, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501