What is Natural Gas?
Natural gas is a naturally occurring fossil fuel that is primarily composed of methane, which is a colourless, odourless gas. It is formed over millions of years from the remains of dead plants and animals that have been buried and subjected to heat and pressure underground.
Natural gas is frequently found dissolved in oil at high pressures in a reservoir, and it can also exist as a gas cap above the oil. In many circumstances, the pressure of natural gas placed on the subterranean oil resource provides the impetus to drive oil to the surface. This type of natural gas is known as associated gas; it is sometimes regarded as the gaseous phase of crude oil and typically contains some light liquids such as propane and butane. As a result, related gas is frequently referred to as "wet gas." There are other reservoirs containing only petrol and no oil. This gas is known as a non-associated gas. Dry gas is unassociated gas derived from sources unrelated to any known source of liquid petroleum. Natural gas is frequently discovered in conjunction with oil deposits and may be recovered using a variety of drilling techniques, such as hydraulic fracturing (fracking) or conventional drilling methods. Natural gas is extracted and treated to eliminate contaminants such as water, oil, and condensates.
Natural gas is a versatile fuel that is used for a variety of purposes, including heating buildings and homes, cooking, generating electricity, and powering vehicles. It is also used as a feedstock for producing chemicals and fertilisers. The combustion of natural gas produces carbon dioxide, water vapour, and small amounts of other pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. While natural gas is considered a relatively clean-burning fossil fuel, its use still contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Efforts are underway to develop technologies to capture and store carbon dioxide emissions from natural gas power plants and other industrial sources to mitigate its impact on the environment.
Types of Natural Gas
- Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) - Natural gas that has been liquefied at - (Minus) 162°C. Natural gas is liquefied to allow enormous amounts to be transported over the sea in cryogenic tankers. When chilled to such low temperatures, it becomes liquid by lowering the volume by 1/600th. Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) – LNG is re-gasified before being transported to consumers through pipelines.
- Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) - Natural gas is compressed to a pressure of 200-250 kg/cm2 and utilised as a transportation fuel. CNG reduces vehicle pollution since it is a cleaner fuel than liquid fuels. Aside from that, natural gas as compressed natural gas (CNG) has replaced high-priced hydrocarbon commodities such as petrol and diesel, further contributing to the cause of clean fuels.
- Piped Natural Gas (PNG) - Natural gas is delivered through a pipeline network with pressure-maintenance valves to provide a safe, uninterrupted supply to the household sector for cooking and heating/cooling uses. PNG is also used in power plants, fertiliser factories, and other sectors. It is also utilised as a feedstock in fertiliser manufacturing plants.
