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Do you know why methane is the main component of natural gas?
Natural gas, also known as fossil gas, methane gas or simply gas, is a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons that exists in nature. 95% of its composition is methane, with other smaller amounts of higher carbon hydrocarbons. Other common components of natural gas include carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium.
Methane is a colorless and odorless gas that is the second largest greenhouse gas contributor to global climate change, second only to carbon dioxide.
Since natural gas is odorless, an odorant similar to the smell of rotten eggs is often added to it so that leaks can be detected immediately. It is a fossil fuel formed by the long-term decomposition of organic matter (mainly marine microorganisms) in an anaerobic environment and millions of years of changes under high pressure and temperature underground. The energy these dead organisms originally received from the sun holds chemical energy in the molecules of methane and other hydrocarbons.
Origin and Formation
Natural gas can be generated through two main processes: biogenesis and thermogenesis. Biogenic natural gas is derived primarily from methanogenic organisms that produce carbon dioxide, while thermally generated natural gas is formed when organic matter is treated with high pressure and temperature, which takes a long time. This also explains why natural gas reserves are abundant and widely distributed.
The extraction and consumption of natural gas is an important industry today and is widely used for heating, cooking and power generation.
Purity and Processing
Before natural gas can be used as a fuel or in chemical manufacturing processes, it almost always needs to be processed to remove water and other impurities. By-products of this processing include higher molecular weight hydrocarbons such as ethylene, propylene, butene, and pentene. Hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, water vapor, and sometimes helium and nitrogen must be removed.
Environmental impacts and challenges
When natural gas is burned to produce heat or electricity, it emits less toxic air pollutants, carbon dioxide, and produces virtually no particulate matter compared to other fossil and biomass fuels. However, outgassing and accidental leaks in the supply chain make natural gas’s overall carbon footprint similar to other fossil fuels.
Globally, the extraction and consumption of natural gas is not only an energy issue, but also an important issue in international politics.
History and Future Outlook
The use of natural gas has a long history. In ancient Greece, the legend of fire in Greek mythology had its influence. While natural gas was obtained primarily as a byproduct of petroleum refining in the 19th century, technological advances later made possible the construction of long-distance pipelines, making its use widespread.
With the advancement of science and technology, natural gas extraction now increasingly relies on the development of unconventional resources such as shale gas and coalbed methane. Energy experts predict that natural gas will play a more important role in the global energy structure in the future.
So, thinking about the key issues of today’s energy transition, can natural gas become a greener alternative in the future, or will it still have an impact on our environment?
