The name South Hook LNG has now become synonymous with Milford Haven.

For many, it represents an economic boost to the area, bringing in contractors from afar, while increasing employment opportunities for local labourers and tradesmen.

Others may well have benefited from the South Hook community investment programme, with schools, churches and sports clubs among the many organisations to receive donations.

To your average golf hacker like myself, it represents the area I occasionally glance towards when searching for a lost ball in the rough on the back nine of Milford Haven golf course.

Therefore, it’s probably safe to class myself in the many who do not appreciate the complexities of the on site project. And anyway, what exactly is LNG?

“Liquefied Natural Gas is basically a natural gas that has been converted to liquid,” explained John Constable, a media officer for the company.

“For this to happen it has to be cooled to a temperature of -160oC.”

The company is currently in the thrust of its ‘Qatargas 2’ project, which begins with the drilling of 30 wells and installation of three new platforms in Qatar’s North Field.

Once ashore, the gas will be processed into LNG before being loaded and shipped to Milford, where it will be ‘regasified’ and delivered to homes throughout the UK.

“Milford Haven is the ideal location for the construction of a plant like this,” said John.

“The shipping distance from the source of natural gas is shorter than many potential sites.”

The Haven’s deep water anchorage also makes it easily accessible to large LNG tankers.

However, despite the critical nature of such an intricate, important project, the company places great emphasis on its role in the community.

“We have visual and noise strategies in place to limit any inconvenience,” said John.

My tour of the site opened my eyes to the pure scale of the project. To put it into context, you could fit the Millennium Stadium in the underground area prepared to incorporate the base of these tanks.

In every direction there were workers, managers, machinery drivers, all collaborating together and covering every trade and work discipline imaginable.

“Depending on what stage we are at, there can be thousands of workers from different contractors here at any one time,” I was told.

“The project supplies work for people in a huge variety of skilled areas.”

I was shown inside one of the insulated onshore tankers, where the gas will effectively be transferred back from liquid and delivered to homes via the national grid.

My first thoughts were that the tanker could successfully contain a continent, let alone the Millennium Stadium.

It is often easy to underestimate the processes which allow us to receive our everyday essentials. Few will turn on their gas fuelled ovens in the near future and think about its origins on a refinery in Qatar.

What should be appreciated, however, is that Milford Haven is providing the base for a project that will eventually deliver more than two billion cubic feet of natural gas to UK customers every day.

At least next time I lose a golf ball, I can provide my playing partner with fascinating information while looking for it.