LNG, short for liquefied natural gas, is the liquid form of natural gas, a clear, colorless, odourless, liquid composed mainly of methane with very small quantities of ethane, propane and heavier hydrocarbons. Taken out of the ground as natural gas, LNG is turned into a liquid by being cooled to -162 degrees Celsius. It is then stored in specially designed LNG storage tanks that work on principles similar to a thermos container.

The cooling process, called liquefaction, reduces the volume of natural gas more than 600 times. This greatly reduced volume makes the natural gas easier and safer to store and transport. At regasification terminals such as Canaport LNG, the LNG is warmed until it returns to a gaseous state. This natural gas is then transported through the Brunswick Pipeline to a distributor who directs it via underground pipelines into households and businesses for everyday uses.