Free to follow every thread. No paywall, no dead ends.
Natural gas: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Natural gas
In 1937, a single explosion in New London, Texas, killed 294 people and fundamentally changed how the world handles the invisible fuel that powers modern civilization. Before that tragedy, natural gas was colorless and odorless, a silent killer that could seep into homes and ignite without warning. The disaster forced a legislative push to add a chemical odorant, typically thiophane or tert-butyl mercaptan, to the gas supply, giving it the distinctive smell of rotten eggs that remains a critical safety feature today. This invisible substance, composed primarily of methane, has been a part of human history for millennia, yet its commercial exploitation only began in earnest in the 19th century. The first commercial natural gas well was dug by William Hart in Fredonia, New York, in 1821, marking the beginning of an industry that would eventually dwarf coal and oil in global influence. Before long-distance pipelines were developed in the early 20th century, gas was a local commodity, used only near the source, while the dominant fuel for lighting and heating was manufactured coal gas. The transition from coal gas to natural gas was not immediate; it required the construction of massive infrastructure networks to transport the fuel across continents, a feat that would define the geopolitical landscape of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Ancient Flames And Modern Revolutions
The story of natural gas begins long before the industrial age, with ancient civilizations harnessing its power in ways that seem almost mythical to modern observers. In ancient Greece, the gas flames at Mount Chimaera contributed to the legend of the fire-breathing creature Chimera, a natural phenomenon that likely inspired the mythological beast. In ancient China, by about 400 BC, people were already drilling for brines and using gas seeping from the ground to boil salt water, transporting the fuel through crude bamboo pipelines to the Ziliujing District of Sichuan. These early uses were localized and limited by the lack of technology to transport gas over long distances. The modern era of natural gas began to take shape in the 19th century, but it was not until the development of long-distance pipelines in the early 20th century that the fuel could be widely distributed. The United States saw a surge in natural gas production following the shale gas revolution, which began in earnest around the year 2000. This technological shift, driven by hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, transformed the United States into the number one natural gas producer in the world by 2014. The shale gas revolution is considered one of the landmark events of the 21st century, with production from the Wei-201 well in China reaching between 10,000 and 20,000 cubic meters per day, and China National Petroleum Corporation claiming daily production of 20 million cubic meters from its Changning-Weiyuan demonstration zone in late 2020. The revolution has also sparked exploration in countries such as Poland, China, and South Africa, challenging the dominance of traditional gas fields.
What caused the New London Texas explosion in 1937?
The New London Texas explosion in 1937 killed 294 people and forced the addition of a chemical odorant to natural gas. This tragedy occurred when an odorless and colorless natural gas leak ignited without warning. The disaster led to the legislative requirement to add thiophane or tert-butyl mercaptan to the gas supply.
When was the first commercial natural gas well dug?
The first commercial natural gas well was dug by William Hart in Fredonia New York in 1821. This event marked the beginning of the natural gas industry that would eventually dwarf coal and oil in global influence. Before long-distance pipelines were developed in the early 20th century gas was a local commodity used only near the source.
What is the primary chemical composition of natural gas?
Natural gas is primarily composed of methane which accounts for 95% of its composition. It also contains small amounts of higher alkanes and traces of carbon dioxide nitrogen hydrogen sulfide and helium. When burned methane produces a characteristic blue flame that yields less soot and fewer toxic pollutants compared to other fossil fuels.
Which countries hold the largest natural gas reserves?
The world's largest gas field the offshore South Pars North Dome Gas-Condensate field is shared between Iran and Qatar. This field holds an estimated 50 trillion cubic meters of natural gas and 50 billion barrels of natural gas condensates. Russia has proven reserves of 47,600 cubic kilometers according to the US Central Intelligence Agency.
How does hydraulic fracturing affect the environment?
Hydraulic fracturing involves forcing water mixed with chemicals through wellbore casing into rock to release gas. Nearly 3 million gallons of water were used for horizontal gas wells between 2000 and 2010. The flowback water may contain radioactive materials heavy metals natural salts and hydrocarbons posing significant environmental and public health risks.
What is the future of natural gas technology?
Floating liquefied natural gas technology enables the development of offshore gas resources that would otherwise remain untapped. Projects are underway to construct five FLNG facilities including Shell Prelude which is due to start production in 2017. Renewable natural gas also known as biomethane is a renewable fuel made from biogas that has been upgraded to a quality similar to fossil natural gas.
Natural gas is a complex mixture, primarily composed of methane, which accounts for 95% of its composition, along with small amounts of higher alkanes and traces of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide, and helium. When burned, methane produces a characteristic blue flame, a result of complete combustion that yields less soot and fewer toxic pollutants compared to other fossil fuels. However, incomplete combustion can produce soot with a temperature sufficient to incandesce, contributing to the orangish-white color of most persistent natural fires. The energy stored in natural gas originates from the sun, captured by marine microorganisms millions of years ago and preserved as chemical energy within the molecules of methane and other hydrocarbons. This energy is released when the gas is burned for heating, cooking, and electricity generation. The processing of natural gas is a critical step in its commercialization, involving the removal of impurities such as water, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon dioxide. The byproducts of this processing include ethane, propane, butanes, pentanes, and higher molecular weight hydrocarbons, which have their own commercial value. Natural gas liquids, or NGLs, are collected and sold separately, while the remaining methane is pipelined to end-user markets. The density of natural gas compared to air ranges from 0.58 to 0.79, making it lighter than air and allowing it to dissipate readily outdoors, though it can collect in dangerous quantities if flow rates are high enough.
The Geopolitics Of Gas
Access to natural gas has become a critical issue in international politics, with countries vying for control of pipelines and reserves. The world's largest gas field, the offshore South Pars/North Dome Gas-Condensate field, is shared between Iran and Qatar, holding an estimated 50 trillion cubic meters of natural gas and 50 billion barrels of natural gas condensates. Russia, with proven reserves of 47,600 cubic kilometers according to the US Central Intelligence Agency, has engaged in disputes with Ukraine and Belarus over the price of natural gas, creating concerns that gas deliveries to parts of Europe could be cut off for political reasons. The European Union aims to cut its gas dependency on Russia by two-thirds in 2022, a goal that has led to increased interest in liquefied natural gas (LNG) and renewable natural gas. The expansion of shale gas production in the United States has caused prices to drop relative to other countries, leading to a boom in energy-intensive manufacturing sector exports. The average dollar unit of US manufacturing exports has almost tripled its energy content between 1996 and 2012. In the first decade of the 21st century, 15 countries accounted for 84% of worldwide extraction, highlighting the concentration of natural gas resources in a few key nations. The geopolitical implications of natural gas are further complicated by the development of floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) technology, which enables the development of offshore gas resources that would otherwise remain untapped due to environmental or economic factors.
The Environmental Paradox
The extraction and use of natural gas pose unique health and safety challenges that are often overlooked in the public discourse. The natural gas extraction workforce faces risks from sour gas containing hydrogen sulfide, a toxic compound that can be fatal when inhaled. Amine gas treating is an industrial scale process used to remove hydrogen sulfide from natural gas, but the process is not foolproof. The extraction of natural gas can also lead to subsidence, the sinking of the ground above the reservoir, which may affect ecosystems, waterways, sewer and water supply systems, and foundations. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves forcing water mixed with a variety of chemicals through the wellbore casing into the rock, breaking it up to release gas. The volume of water used to hydraulically fracture wells varies according to the technique, with nearly 3 million gallons used for horizontal gas wells between 2000 and 2010. The flowback water, which returns to the surface after the fracture, may contain radioactive materials, heavy metals, natural salts, and hydrocarbons, posing significant environmental and public health risks. Natural gas heating systems may also cause carbon monoxide poisoning if unvented or poorly vented, although improvements in furnace designs have greatly reduced this concern. Explosions caused by natural gas leaks occur a few times each year, with individual homes, small businesses, and other structures most frequently affected when an internal leak builds up gas inside the
The Hidden Dangers
structure.
The future of natural gas is shaped by technological innovations and shifting global priorities. Floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) technology is designed to enable the development of offshore gas resources that would otherwise remain untapped, with projects underway to construct five FLNG facilities. Petronas is close to completion on their FLNG-1 at Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, and Shell Prelude is due to start production in 2017. The expansion of shale gas production in the United States has caused prices to drop, leading to a boom in energy-intensive manufacturing sector exports. Natural gas is also being used to produce hydrogen, with one common method being the hydrogen reformer, which has many applications in the chemical industry and as a fuel source in hydrogen vehicles. The development of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, which has supported global population growth, relies on natural gas as a major feedstock for the production of ammonia via the Haber process. It has been estimated that almost half the people on Earth are currently fed as a result of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use. The future of natural gas also includes the development of renewable natural gas, also known as biomethane, which is a renewable fuel made from biogas that has been upgraded to a quality similar to fossil natural gas. The global energy crisis of 2021, driven by a global surge in demand as the world quit the economic recession caused by
The Future Of Fuel
the COVID-19 pandemic, has highlighted the importance of natural gas in meeting energy needs, particularly in Asia.