Lockheed Martin to produce liquefied natural gas tanks at Louisiana facility

13 March 2013

Lockheed Martin is leveraging its expertise in the manufacture of Space Shuttle external tanks to meet the growing demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanks for storage and transportation. Lockheed Martin has received initial orders to manufacture cryogenic tanks for fueling LNG powered vessels.

As part of its longer-range LNG business plan, Lockheed Martin will adapt production equipment used to manufacture the external tank for the Space Shuttle for a wide range of LNG supply chain applications.

In addition to applying its external tank manufacturing expertise, the Lockheed Martin LNG tank manufacturing team will draw on a variety capabilities developed for a wide range of other programs, spanning propellant handling; assembly, test and integration; composites manufacturing; and production facility and tooling design.

Lockheed Martin can manufacture tanks in varying sizes and capacities for multiple transportation applications; this includes distribution by land, rail or waterway as well as for land-based LNG storage.

All tanks are manufactured to ASME standards for pressurized storage and transportation of cryogenic materials using the quality and safety standards implemented for the shuttle tank program.