(Project concluded on November 30, 2020)

The objective of this research is to review and evaluate alternatives to either compressed or liquefied natural gas in small scale plants and to transport CNG or LNG via trucks or other transportation modals, such as barges in hydroways, trains or cabotage ships, to serve consumers in remote off-grid areas in Brazil. The research will also investigate the potential to create hybrid LNG-CNG corridors along main Brazilian motorways to attract long haul transportation such as inter-municipal buses and lorries. The project develops critical analysis and integrated planning methodologies for expansion and operation of integrated multimodal networks, including the review of some of the technical and economic parameters used by the Federal Government in its NG logistic plan (PEMAT). This includes developing an economic model based on a broader and more integrated view of gas logistics and analyzing the international experience of major cases in which (at least at first) the expansion did not took place with pipelines, but with bulk distribution networks with natural gas in LNG or CNG form.