Natural Gas Sources
Natural gas is a form of fossil fuel. Natural gas sources are found deep beneath the Earth’s crust in the layers of buried plants and animals that gradually decay with the passage of time. These organic compounds can be transformed into usable energy.
Modern equipment and technology allow energy companies to detect the presence of natural gas. Drilling and pipe installation are then conducted to extract the natural gas for delivery to gas plants, where it will be processed by removing impurities such as carbon dioxide and moisture. It is then stored in giant storage tanks for later delivery to consumers.
The main component of natural gas is methane, an odorless and colorless gas that has a high combustibility. The gas is mixed with a sulfur-based compound that adds an odor to the gas. This sulfur odor facilitates detection if a gas leak were to occur.
How is Natural Gas Utilized?
Based on the data made available by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), natural gas is utilized as follows:
- 27% is used for industrial purposes such as waste treatment and incineration, preheating of metals, and food processing.
- 30% is utilized for the generation of electricity. This refers to electric companies that proclaim their use of clean burning fossil fuels.
- 21% is piped in directly for residential consumption as cooking and heating fuel.
- 14% is used in the commercial sector like buildings, hotels and restaurants.
- The remaining 8% is used for other purposes like vehicle fuel or gas industry operations.
Natural Gas & the Environment
The most prevalent problem with natural gas utilization is its impact on the environment. Air emissions from natural gas power plants contribute to the already heavy volume of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. Aquatic resources can be affected when power plants take natural water out of lakes and rivers as well as when they discharge polluted water back in. And there’s also an effect on the natural habitat which the extraction process.
Since natural gas like other fossil fuels is not renewable, conservation is imperative. Natural gas is cleaner than other fossil fuels like coal or petroleum. Therefore, research is being done to find alternative ways to produce or utilize this resource, like with fuel cell and biomass technologies. The DOE is in the process of researching ways for power plants to burn natural gas with a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
