The ABCs
Natural gas
Composition
DID YOU KNOW?
The exact percentage of
methane in natural gas varies
slightly from one place to
another. In the Québec
distribution network, that
percentage is 95.4%.
Natural gas
The composition of natural gas is 95% methane, almost 4% ethane
and nitrogen, and 1% carbon dioxide and propane. It is produced by
the natural transformation of organic materials over millions of years.
Methane: the simplest hydrocarbon
Methane gas belongs to the hydrocarbon family. A hydrocarbon is an
organic composition that contains only carbon and hydrogen atoms.
With just one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms, methane (CH4)
is the simplest hydrocarbon.
Some other hydrocarbons are: propane (C3H8), ethane (C2H6) and
butane (C4H10).
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The ABCs
Natural gas
Formation
How is natural gas formed?
Natural gas results from the natural transformation of plant, animal
and other organic materials over millions of years.
These organic materials mix and decompose inside layers of
sediments such as sand and silt. Over time, and with the effect of
pressure and heat, the residues in these sedimentary layers
transform into hydrocarbons like oil and natural gas. The rock where
this happens is called the "mother rock."
Since hydrocarbons are light, they rise through the more porous rock
layers until they hit an impermeable rock layer. Blocked there, a
pocket of natural gas is created. The process takes millions of years!
How is shale gas different?
The only difference between natural gas extracted from conventional
wells and shale gas is its location. Shale gas is collected directly from
the mother rock. Shale formations are found in many places,
including Québec.
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The ABCs
Natural gas
Properties
DID YOU KNOW?
Many people confuse natural
gas with propane. But these
two products are quite
different! Unlike propane,
natural gas is lighter than air,
so it does not accumulates on
the ground.
Lighter than air
Unlike propane, natural gas is lighter than air. It rises and dissipates
quickly in fresh air.
Smell = safety!
Natural gas has no smell. An odorant is added for safety reasons.
That is mercaptan, and it gives off a strong smell of rotten eggs,
which helps in quickly detecting the presence of natural gas.
Does not catch on fire easily
Natural gas has to reach a precise concentration of 5%-15% in the
air for it to catch fire. Below or above that range of flammability,
natural gas does not catch on fire.
Non toxic
Natural gas has no colour, no smell and no taste. It is a stable gas
that is neither toxic nor corrosive.
Natural gas is not water-soluble, so it does not mix with or
contaminate water. It forms bubbles which rise to the surface and
then quickly dissipate into the air.
With these properties, and when the ground rules are respected,
natural gas is a very safe energy.
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The ABCs
Natural gas
Biogas
What is biogas?
Biogas is the result of the decomposition of organic wastes. Its
composition is about 30% methane, which is called "biomethane."
This methane is renewable since it comes from an organic source. It
has the same properties as the methane found in natural gas.
In North America, biogas is mostly produced in landfill sites, but it can
also be produced in a specially designed machine called a
bioreactor. This technology, called methanization, is more common in
Europe.
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The ABCs
Natural gas
History
DID YOU KNOW?
By about 500 BC, the
Chinese were using bamboo
stalks placed upright in
natural gas surface wells for
lighting.
Some significant dates
Antiquity:
211 BC:
1609:
1821:
1837:
1890:
1920:
1954-1958:
1958:
1969:
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Discovery of natural gas in the Middle East
First natural gas wells in China
The word "gas" (geist) is coined by Jan Van Helmont
of Brussels
In the United States, William Hart sinks the first well in
North America
The first gas lamp is lighted in Montréal; it burns
manufactured gas
Technological breakthrough – invention of leak-proof
joints
Technological progress leads to construction of first
long-distance pipelines
Construction of pipeline crossing Canada
Arrival of natural gas in Montréal; it replaces
manufactured gas
Inauguration of liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage
plant in Montréal Today: Natural gas distribution
network more than 10,000km long in Québec.
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The ABCs
Uses
Heating
DID YOU KNOW?
Almost half of Canadian
households use natural gas
for heating.
An efficient and reliable energy
Natural gas is very efficient for heating space and water. With a flame
that can reach1960°C, it instantly generates heat in appliances.
In case of an electricity outage, the underground natural gas network
continues to supply homes for heating, hot water, and for cooking
with gas. That's very useful in a Nordic country like ours!
For business and institutions
Natural gas is widely used for heating large spaces such as
warehouses, office buildings, arenas, churches, schools and
hospitals. It is also particularly appreciated in the restaurant industry.
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The ABCs
Uses
Industrial processes
Methane: an essential molecule for some processes
In addition to using natural gas for traditional heating and steamproducing purposes, industries are interested in the methane
molecule itself in order to produce hydrogen or because they need
CO2.
Hydrogen production
The methane molecule is needed for some hydrogen-manufacturing
processes. The hydrogen is used in particular to eliminate sulphur
from petroleum products and to make iron.
CO2: a useful combustion product
The famous bubbles found in carbonated drinks are made of carbon
dioxide, or CO2. Soft drink companies primarily use natural gas for
heating. They then recover and filter the CO2 produced by the
combustion of natural gas to put in their fizzy drinks.
CO2 is also injected into some greenhouses to encourage
photosynthesis and so increase plant growth.
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The ABCs
Uses
Electricity production
Using natural gas to produce electricity is highly thought of all over
the world because of its environmental qualities, since it is the
cleanest hydrocarbon.
After coal, natural gas is the second-most important source of energy
for producing electricity.
In global terms, greater use of a clean energy like natural gas would
contribute to the reduction of acid rain and the level of greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions caused by the very common use of coal.
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The ABCs
Uses
Vehicles
DID YOU KNOW?
In Argentina and Brazil, there
are almost 3 million natural
gas vehicles.
Natural gas as a fuel for vehiclesA natural gas car has been
existence since the 1930s. Today, more than 9 million vehicles
around the world run on natural gas.
While the technology is not new, its environmental virtues are now
being discovered. A natural gas engine produces 25% less CO2 than
a gasoline engine. This represents an appreciable reduction in the
GHG emissions considered responsible for climate change.
Natural gas is a versatile fuel that can supply motorbikes just as well
as locomotives. It is highly prized for fleets like public transit vehicles
which have their own refuelling stations.
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The ABCs
In the world
Reserves
In 2008, all known and exploitable natural gas reserves totalled
185 trillion m3. This is the equivalent, in terms of volume, to almost
twice the amount of water in all the lakes, streams and rivers in the
world.
Canada, with 1% of world reserves, has sufficient natural gas to meet
the country's needs for the next 80 years.
The three countries with the most reserves are:
Russia (23%)
Iran (16%)
Qatar (14%)
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The ABCs
In the world
Production
Natural gas production is highest in Europe and Eurasia, followed by
the Americas. And, while Russia and the United States are two very
important players, Canada is the third-largest producer of natural gas
in the world!
The three countries which produce the most natural gas are:
Russia (20%)
United States (19%)
Canada (6%)
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The ABCs
In the world
Consumption
DID YOU KNOW?
Natural gas ranks third in
world energy consumption
after oil and coal (2009).
The use of natural gas is very widespread; in fact, a quarter of all the
energy consumed in the world comes from natural gas.
The biggest consumers are the United States (22%), the European
Union (16%), and Russia (15%). Canada accounts for 3% of the
world's consumption of natural gas.
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