Ten Dangerous Scenarios

Attack a nuclear plant

Cripple the
Transportation System

Destroy the
Fort Peck Dam

Detonate a suitcase bomb

Attack the Alaska pipeline

Contaminate a ventilation system

Cut off power to
a major city

Shoot down
Air Force One

Attack a chemical factory

Destroy a stadium

>> See the entire list <<

Scenario: Attack an LNG tanker

Scenario

Attack an LNG tanker as it is moving through a major port.

Description

Nearly every week, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker moves through Boston harbor to a dock and storage facility in Everett, MA. A typical tanker is 900 feet long and carries 33 million gallons of LNG (which will expand by a factor of 625 when it turns back into gas to create 2.6 billion cubic feet or natural gas). See this Aerial photo of the tanker dock and storage facility. The tankers make their way past Logan airport and the Boston financial district to reach the dock.

There are two reasons why terrorists might attack an LNG tanker:

  1. An attempt to create a gigantic explosion
  2. An attempt to disrupt the supply of natural gas
A large explosion near the financial district would cause a lot of damage. However, it is important to note that an LNG tanker might not create a gigantic explosion. LNG normally does not flash immediately to vapor and explode in a huge fireball. If you have ever poured liquid nitrogen into a bowl, you know it will sit in the bowl boiling for quite some time. LNG has the same behavior. On the other hand, if a tank of LNG is ripped open by an explosion, the LNG would spread out on the surface of the water and the heat would be intense. An intense fire in one tank might cause other LNG tanks on the ship to over-pressurize and that could lead to a significant pressure explosion.

According to this article: "Boston Fire Chief Paul Christian remains dubious about lifting the ban, which was imposed in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 suicide attacks in New York and Washington. 'We believe the analysis supports our position that a catastrophic event could happen' if terrorists decided to target a gas tanker, he said. 'There's a potential for an extremely hot fire jeopardizing the waterfront area.'"

Even though an explosion is uncertain, disruption is guaranteed. According to this article: "The Distrigas facility is the Northeast's only LNG port. It provides 15 to 20 percent of New England's natural gas, and as much as 35 percent on the coldest days of winter." Attacking the ship early in the winter would have an effect on a large number of people who heat with gas, and it would also affect power generation in any power plant burning natural gas.

The attack on the tanker could happen in a number of different ways. For example:

  • A small boat loaded with explosives could pull up alongside the tanker
  • A small plane loaded with C-4 could crash into the ship
  • A grenade or missile could be launched from shore

Damage Potential

Damage would come in three forms:

  • The loss of the ship and its cargo
  • The probable shutdown of the Boston storage and distribution facility, one of only three facilities in the country and an important source of natural gas for the Northeast
  • The disruption to heating and power generation in the Northeast. This might be part of a larger strategy to disrupt the power grid.

Potential Solutions

Like the Alaska pipeline, LNG tankers are designed for a world in which there is no terrorism. It would be nearly impossible to prevent an attack on a tanker if terrorists are determined to destroy it -- an air attack or a rocket attack from shore would be difficult to stop. However, stopping an attack on the water is a possibility if all boats are kept a mile or more away from an incoming tanker, and any trespasser is attacked immediately with gunfire if that perimeter is breached. It would likely take 8 to 10 armed Coast Guard ships to enforce a perimeter like that.

One solution would be to close the LNG dock and unloading facility in Boston and relocate it to a much more remote area. This would allow the ships to be better guarded as they move toward the dock, and would lessen the impact of the explosion. Having LNG ships moving right past Logan airport and downtown Boston makes them too inviting a target.

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