What Is a Virtual Pipeline?
A virtual pipeline is a natural gas delivery system that uses trucks, rail cars, or ISO containers instead of buried pipe. Gas is liquefied (LNG) at a source point, transported to the customer, and converted back to ordinary gas onsite. To the equipment burning it, gas from a virtual pipeline is identical to pipeline gas.
How it works
Liquefaction cools gas to about minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit, shrinking its volume about 600 times, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That density makes road transport economical. At the destination, the LNG sits in a cryogenic tank or parked trailer, passes through vaporizers that warm it back to gas, and enters the facility through normal pressure regulation and metering.
What a virtual pipeline is used for
Permanent supply to sites the pipeline grid does not reach, bridge supply while a pipeline or grid connection is built, backup during pipeline outages, peak shaving during demand spikes, and fuel conversion projects replacing diesel, propane, or fuel oil.
What it costs
Delivered virtual pipeline gas costs more per unit than pipeline service because trucking replaces pipe. It is usually priced per million Btu, bundling commodity, transport, and equipment rental. The comparison that matters is against the real alternative, which is typically diesel, lost production, or waiting years for infrastructure, and against those it usually wins.
VP Ventures is one such provider, delivering turnkey LNG as a Service across North America and to Caribbean and Latin American markets from its Houston headquarters.
Frequently asked questions
Is virtual pipeline gas the same as pipeline gas?
Yes. Once vaporized or decompressed, it is ordinary natural gas and burns identically in existing equipment.
How far can a virtual pipeline reach?
Hundreds of miles by road, and effectively anywhere via intermodal ISO containers on rail and container ships.
How quickly can a virtual pipeline start delivering?
Emergency setups can flow gas within days. Planned programs are engineered and tested in advance for seamless startup.
Is a virtual pipeline safe?
The equipment and transport are governed by DOT, PHMSA, and NFPA standards, and LNG itself is nonflammable in liquid form, vaporizing without residue if released.