In what form can natural gas be transported?

Natural gas can be transported effectively in two primary forms: as compressed natural gas (CNG) and as liquefied natural gas (LNG). Compressed natural gas is created by compressing natural gas to less than 1% of its volume at standard atmospheric pressure, which makes it easier to store and transport through pipelines or in specially designed vehicles. On the other hand, liquefied natural gas is achieved by cooling the gas to extremely low temperatures, turning it into a liquid form that occupies a much smaller volume than its gaseous state. This liquefaction allows for transportation in bulk over long distances, especially where pipeline infrastructure is not available.

The options that suggest transporting natural gas in only one form—whether compressed or liquefied—are limited because they ignore the versatility of natural gas transportation methods. Furthermore, the option that refers exclusively to vapor does not account for the fact that while natural gas does exist as a vapor under normal conditions, transportation typically involves either compression or liquefaction to be effective and practical for large-scale distribution.