Formed by decayed and compressed organic matter, natural gas is a trapped fuel found in underground deposits that has been there for millions of years. People around the world depend on this fossil fuel to produce manufactured goods, run their appliances, provide them with electricity, and power their compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles. Leopoldo Alejandro Betancourt Lopez
According to the Natural Gas
Supply Association, the United
States, alone, usually accounts for roughly
25% of the world’s natural gas consumption each year. Russia is not
far behind in their use of natural gas, along with the European Union.
In its pure form, natural gas is
colorless, odorless, and shapeless. Natural gas can occur by itself, just above
or dissolved in a petroleum deposit. There are a variety of rocks that help
trap the gas and keep air out, making the environment prime for natural gas.
Unlike many other fossil fuels,
natural gas burns cleanly and emits lower levels of byproducts that are harmful
to life. It is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases that is highly combustible, but
when burned, gives off a great deal of energy. Alejandro Betancourt Lopez
Although natural gas mixtures
vary widely depending on where they are mined, they usually consist of:
methane, ethane, propane, butane, carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen
sulfide, and a trace of some rare gases such as helium, neon, and xenon.
Like all fossil fuels, using natural
gas also has its downside. Carbon dioxide and methane emissions can cause harm
to the environment as greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the atmosphere. Pedro Trebbau
Lopez
Currently, there is controversy
over the methods used to extract natural gas from the earth. Some people argue
that hydrofracking, a method gaining popularity in use, results in increased
toxic emissions into the air. As its name implies, hydrofracking also uses up a
great deal of water, which is one of earth’s finite resources.
Regardless of what people think,
natural gas consumption continues to increase around the world, as it is still
known as one of the least harmful energy producers. As long as people continue
to need electricity and live the way they do now, there will never be an end to
the consumption of natural gas.
