Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
Reviewed by Afonso Firmo, Co-Founder & Director · Updated 7 July 2026
LNG has a combined Scope 1 emission factor of 51.53 kg CO₂-e/GJ under NGA Factors 2025, with 25.3 GJ per kilolitre. Worked examples and a calculator.
Emission Factor Value
51.53 kg CO₂-e/GJ
Try it with your own numbers
Estimated emissions
—
LNG combustion is reported under Scope 1 at 51.53 kg CO₂-e/GJ (NGA Factors 2025, Table 5). Kilolitres of liquid are converted at 25.3 GJ/kL. For road transport use, apply Table 9 factors (59.0 light duty, 54.5 heavy duty) instead.
Official Source & Citation
This emission factor is sourced from the Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025 , Table 5 — Gaseous fuels including liquefied natural gas, published by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
Citation: DCCEEW (2025). Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025. Commonwealth of Australia. Available at: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/publications/national-greenhouse-accounts-factors-2025
Notes
Combined Scope 1 factor of 51.53 kg CO₂-e/GJ = CO₂ 51.4 + CH₄ 0.1 + N₂O 0.03 (NGA Factors 2025, Table 5). Energy content 25.3 GJ/kL of liquid. 1 GJ of LNG combusted = 51.53 kg CO₂-e; 1 kL ≈ 1,303.71 kg CO₂-e. For LNG in road transport, Table 9 factors apply: 59.0 kg CO₂-e/GJ light duty, 54.5 heavy duty.
Calculation Example
If your site combusted a 150 kL LNG delivery over the year:
| Working | Result |
|---|---|
| 150 kL × 25.3 GJ/kL | 3,795 GJ |
| 3,795 GJ × 51.53 kg CO₂-e/GJ = 195,556.35 kg CO₂-e | 195.56 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1) |
LNG reaches the places pipelines don’t: remote mines, off-grid towns, marine bunkering and long-haul truck fleets. Once it is regasified and burned, the chemistry is identical to pipeline gas — so the combustion factor is the same — but the fuel arrives in kilolitres of cryogenic liquid, which changes how you handle the Scope 1 calculation.
This entry covers the NGA Factors 2025 LNG numbers, the kilolitre conversion, and the separate factors that apply when LNG powers vehicles.
Quick Verdict
Liquefied natural gas has a combined Scope 1 emission factor of 51.53 kg CO₂-e per gigajoule under the NGA Factors 2025 (Table 5) — CO₂ 51.4 plus CH₄ 0.1 and N₂O 0.03 — with an energy content of 25.3 GJ per kilolitre of liquid. One kilolitre fully combusted equals about 1,303.71 kg CO₂-e. The factor applies to organisations burning LNG in stationary equipment they operate, reported under Scope 1; road transport use takes the higher Table 9 factors of 54.5 (heavy duty) or 59.0 (light duty) kg CO₂-e/GJ. Liquefaction and delivery emissions sit upstream in Scope 3, not in this factor.
How to Calculate LNG Emissions
Emissions (kg CO₂-e) = Energy consumed (GJ) × 51.53 kg CO₂-e/GJ
Convert kilolitres of liquid at 25.3 GJ/kL and megajoules at 1,000 MJ per GJ.
Worked Example 1: Annual tanker deliveries to an off-grid site
A remote site receives and combusts 150 kL of LNG across the year.
150 kL × 25.3 GJ/kL = 3,795 GJ
3,795 GJ × 51.53 = 195,556.35 kg CO₂-e
195.56 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)
Worked Example 2: Off-grid power plant metered in energy
An LNG-fired generator consumes 2,000 GJ of regasified fuel.
2,000 GJ × 51.53 = 103,060 kg CO₂-e
103.06 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)
Worked Example 3: Small storage tank
A facility draws down a 30 kL LNG tank over the reporting year.
30 kL × 25.3 GJ/kL = 759 GJ
759 GJ × 51.53 = 39,111.27 kg CO₂-e
39.11 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)
How LNG compares with other gaseous fuels
| Gaseous fuel | Combined Scope 1 factor (kg CO₂-e/GJ) |
|---|---|
| Biomethane | 0.13 |
| Landfill biogas | 6.43 |
| Coke oven gas | 37.08 |
| Liquefied natural gas | 51.53 |
| Natural gas (pipeline) | 51.53 |
| Coal seam methane | 51.63 |
| Town gas | 60.27 |
NGER and AASB S2 Reporting
LNG combustion is reported as Scope 1 under the NGER scheme, using this factor for stationary use and Table 9 factors for transport. The same split flows into your AASB S2 disclosures: combustion in Scope 1, liquefaction and haulage upstream in Scope 3. Keep delivery dockets — litres of liquid received is the cleanest activity data an auditor can ask for.
Related Emission Factors
Frequently Asked Questions
Disclaimer
This page is provided for general information, not professional or compliance advice. The factor shown is reproduced from the official publication cited above, and while we work to keep it current, government factors change — the publication is always the authoritative source.
- Before using this value in any formal reporting — including under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 — confirm it against the current official publication and the methods specified by the Clean Energy Regulator.
- NetNada is independent of the Australian Government, DCCEEW, and the Clean Energy Regulator. Government data is Crown copyright, Commonwealth of Australia.