Natural Gas

Natural Gas

Dismissed as a useless byproduct of oil production until the second half of the 20th century, natural gas now provides 23 percent of all energy consumed in the world. And the demand is growing.

An economical, environmentally friendly and efficient energy source, natural gas is the cleanest-burning conventional fuel, producing lower levels of greenhouse gas emissions than heavier hydrocarbon fuels, such as coal and oil. Historically, natural gas also has been one of the most economical energy sources. Natural gas fuels electric power generators, heats buildings and is used as a raw material in many consumer products, such as those made of traditional plastics.

The International Energy Agency predicts that natural gas demand will grow by more than 67 percent through 2030.

What Is Liquefied Natural Gas?
The world has enormous quantities of natural gas, but much of it is in areas far from where the gas is needed. To move this environmentally friendly fuel great distances across oceans, natural gas must be converted into liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG is natural gas that has been cooled to -260F, changing it from a gas into a liquid 1/600th its original volume. This dramatic reduction in size allows it to be shipped safely and efficiently aboard specially designed LNG vessels. After arriving at its destination, LNG is warmed to return it to its gaseous state and delivered to natural gas customers through local pipelines.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gas

www.chevron.com/deliveringenergy/naturalgas

www.naturalgas.org

Comment

Natural gas is a key component to the Pickens Plan, for weaning the USA off foreign oil. T Boone Pickens suggests that our trucks should be converted over to run on natural gas, as a stopgap measure until fuel cell or other energy sources are found. We have ten years of natural gas found already and would last us until something better is found. He says that the Upper Midwest is the Saudi Arabia of wind power and that we should build the infrastructure to utilize it. Tens of thousands of windmills would be needed, and the transmission lines to move it to the cities that need it. I think he estimated it would cost a trillion dollars to build the wind turbines and an additional three trillion to put the transmission lines into place. That's a LOT of money, but it would be clean energy, help wean ourselves off foreign oil, and create a lot of green jobs. Keep in mind that Boone owns a natural gas company, and stands to make a LOT of money if his plan is implemented. I do not have a problem with a guy making a profit, but I DO have a problem with a guy, Arab or American, gouging us. Natural gas prices are down now, but 18 months ago my sister in Augusta, Ga. said that natural gas prices had tripled there, in four years.
I don't believe there is any one energy source that will solve all our energy problems. We should use solar where it makes sense - Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii. Wind power where THAT makes sense. Geothermal up North, where that makes sense. Recycle the residual heat from coal-fired power plants to make additional clean energy. Nuclear power could be a part of the energy solution IF a way can be found to recycle the spent rods. Apparently the French have found a way to do that, but its expensive. Wave power along the coasts. Waste-to-energy plants. Algae.