Natural Gas

Biogenic GasFormed by bacterial degradation of organic matter

– this is a low temperature process

Despite concerns about bovine methane, most

subsurface natural gas is nearly all thermogenic,

not biogenic. E CO gas fields near KS border are

biogenic gas as are some others but most

natural gas is thermogenic

Conversation of kerogen to oil and natural gas

The oil

window

The gas window

undermature

overmature

• Natural Gas varieties and types

• Associated Natural Gas is dissolved in oil, and like gas

that bubbles from a soda, is released when pressure

drops. Surface equipment on oil wells separates the

gas and gas liquids (C2 to C5).

• Non-Associated gas or “dry gas” is nearly all

methane, minimal production of gas liquids.

• Some gas accumulations contain significant amounts

of CO2, nitrogen, and hydrogen sulfide “sour gas”

(very poisonous).

• Some gas accumulation contain small but valuable

amounts of helium.

Now our main electricity fuel

(and growing)

Natural Gas – A Growing Fuel Choice

Conversion from coal to natural gas is driven by price, and

pollution considerations

Natural gas

became a

truly viable

energy

source

beginning

around 1930

as welding

technology

made

pipelines

possible

How do we use natural gas?

Power generation – produces 30% less greenhouse

gases than oil and 45% less than coal for same

amount of electricity

Transit – CNG used in cars & busses (minor)

Domestic – Cooking, home heating, water heaters

Fertilizer –feedstock

Industrial – processed needing heat, pharmaceuticals,

and chemicals

Plastics – ethaline is a component of NGLs, and turned

into polyethylene and other plastics

Surpassing Coal for

Electricity

Major Exporters & Producers

#1 Exporter Russia

#2 Qatar

#3 Norway

#4 USA

#5 Canada

#6 Australia

#7 Algeria

#8 Netherlands

#9 Malaysia

#10 Turkmenistan

#1 Producer USA

#2 Russia

#3 Iran

#4 Qatar

#5 Canada

#6 China

#7 Norway

#8 Saudi Arabia

#9 Australia

#10 Algeria

Major Importers & Consumers

#1 Importer Germany

#2 Japan

#3 China

#4 USA

#5 Italy

#6 Turkey

#7 Netherlands

#8 Mexico

#9 S. Korea

#10 France

#1 USA

#2 Russia

#3 China

#4 Iran

#5 Japan

#6 Canada

#7 Saudi Arabia

#8 Germany

#9 Mexico

#10 UK

Importers Consumers

The Biggest Fields

#1 South Pars Field – Qatar/Iran

#2 Urengoy Field – Russia

#3 Marcellus Shale – New York/Pennsylvania

#4 Haynesville Shale – Texas/Louisiana

#5 Yoloten Gas Field - Turkmenistan

The unconventional gas boom has nearly

eliminated imported gas and now the US

is becoming a gas exporter

Yes this is from fracking

and horizontal drilling

Also

fracking

Natural gas is cheap and abundant – thanks to unconventional

gas “fracking”

Top 10 US Gas Fields

EIA

Un

co

nv

en

tion

al

an

d tite

ga

s

9 of the top 10 gas fields in US are unconventional

Now dominated by shale gas

(“unconventional”)

1

23

45

6

7

8

9

10

A Gas Problem – Transit & Storage

Low density fuel, needs to be compressed or piped

Hard to ship intercontinentally

Storage must happen in liquid form for long term use

Oil is more fungible – easy to transport so world oil prices are

similar. Gas is either transported by pipeline or liquefied at

substantial cost so gas prices vary considerably worldwide

Natural Gas flow into Europe

Off Pipeline Natural Gas Use

Bottled gas is usually propane or butane

Other impacts

Climate change – when burned you get CO2 and

when it leaks you get methane (which is way worse!)

Safety Concerns – highly explosive, CNG targets could

be hit by terrorism

Wastewater disposal – fracking fluid must be

reinjected or treated to avoid water contamination

Note: methane hydrates are a resource but undeveloped worldwide

due to cost and engineering difficulty

Also thermogenic

Note: warming of arctic will likely release gas from methane

hydrates – methane is a potent greenhouse gas (feedback loop)