The global consumption of Natural Gas has been growing for several decades, and it is said that Natural Gas will become the dominant energy in the 21st century. However, in Hokkaido, Japan, the share of Natural Gas in the primary energy supply still remains only 2% and is 5th position among oil, coal, gas, nuclear and hydro.
In 1989 Japex (Japan Petroleum Exploration Company) discovered Yufutsu Oil & Gas Field near Tomakomai city, Hokkaido, and 7 years later the first gas was shipped to Sapporo city through the new 14B×74.8km pipeline. Since then, Yufutsu Oil & Gas field steadily expands its production capacities and pipelines. In 2003, the first domestic Natural Gas liquefaction plant was built at Yufutsu by Japex, and Yufutsu LNG is now delivered to the remote users by rail and trailer.
The advanced applications of Yufutsu gas, such as co-generation, NGV, GTL, DME, have been carried out.
Yufutsu Oil & Gas field plays an important role to open the Natural Gas Era in Hokkaido, Japan.
