Natural Gas

Ryan & Daniel

Natural Gas?
Fossil fuel
Hydrocarbon
Made up of compounds of hydrogen and
carbon
Methane, ethane, propane, butane

A Look Back in Time

The ancient eternal fires

In 1821, William A. Hart drilled a 27 foot deep well
In 1855, Robert Bunsen invented a burner
In 1891, one of the first lengthy pipelines was built
After WW2, and throughout the 1950s and 1960s

Today, the U.S. pipeline

network, laid end-to-end,
would stretch to the moon
and back TWICE

Availability in the United States

In general, there is an abundance of natural gas
Non-renewable resource
Estimates vary
Impossible to know exactly until extraction
Based on a different set of assumptions
Constant state of flux

Estimates (Energy Information Administration)

There are 2,543 trillion cubic
feet (Tcf) of technically
recoverable natural gas
Proved resources make
up a very small proportion

Estimates (National Petroleum Council)

1,451 Tcf remaining in 2007
Advances in technology could
bring that number to 1,887
Tcf by 2017
Outdated because of shale
rock extraction

Estimates (Potential Gas Committee)

Total
production
resources
estimated at
2,853 Tcf

Location
Most of the natural
gas is concentrated in
relatively distinct
areas or basins
Texas leads the nation
by a large margin

World Reserves
Russia and the
Middle East
dominate the
worlds supply of
natural gas

Efficiency
Most efficient fossil fuel
According to the AGA, the average consumer
today uses 40% less natural gas than they did 40
years ago
90% of natural gas that enters the pipeline reaches
the consumer
In comparison, electricity is less efficient

Efficiency
Combined-cycle power plants produce up to 50%
more electricity from natural gas than traditional
simple-cycle plants
Gas turbine burns natural gas
Heat recovery system captures exhaust
Steam turbine delivers additional electricity
The mythical 60% efficiency

Significance
The U.S. used about 26.8 Tcf of natural gas in 2014
27.5 quadrillion Btu
28% of total U.S. energy use
In 2015, the U.S. generated about 4 trillion
kilowatt-hours of electricity
33% from natural gas

Significance
Globally, consumption is projected to double by
2030
Bridge between fossil fuels and renewable energy
Heat homes or industrial uses: 25-30%/40-50%
less carbon dioxide released than oil/coal
Generate electricity: ~60% less than coal
Little nitrogen oxide/sulfur dioxide/particulates

Significance
Global commodity
Minimal processing time
Transported safely and efficiently in its
liquefied form (LNG)
LNG tankers or a network of pipelines

Fracking and the Marcellus Shale

https://ytouu/-.ber3MPj9zCrE

Energy Source
24% of our energy comes from natural gas
More than half of US homes are heated using
natural gas

Job Creation
Natural gas is developed in 31 states and it puts
people to work in all 50 states
HIS Global Insight estimates that as of 2008,
natural gas production supported more than 2.8
million jobs in the U.S.

Where the Jobs and Income Are

Natural gas industry
Local businesses that supply the industry and
people in the industry
Leasing and royalty income

Adverse Economic Impacts

Other businesses and jobs are negatively affected
Tourism
Recreation
Farming

Effects of on Communities
Increased traffic
Increased crime and substance abuse near drilling
rig camps
Gas pipelines can threaten local property rights
because of eminent domain

Effects on Water
The fracking process can put a strain on water resources
Chemicals from hydraulic fracturing can contaminate
groundwater
Drinking water can be contaminated
Several cases have been documented where this has occurred

Earthquakes
Fracking has been linked to low-magnitude seismic
activity (less than 2 in magnitude)
Such events are undetectable from the surface
Larger earthquakes may be caused by fracking
although it is challenging to make that connection
for certain

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Burning natural gas releases carbon dioxide into
the atmosphere

Natural gas leaks during the fracking process also

release methane into the atmosphere

Comparison Between Fossil Fuels

Local Effects on the Environment

Potential to contaminate ground and surface water
Air pollution

Conclusions
Natural Gas is helping the U.S economy and
providing jobs
However, this growth is coming at a high cost to
the environment and communities where fracking
is occurring

References
Natural Gas. What You Need to Know About Energy. The National Academies of Sciences, 2016. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.
"Jobs." America's Natural Gas Alliance. America's Natural Gas Alliance, 2016. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.
Economic and Community Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing. SWFNC.org. Clean Water for North Carolina, n.d. Web. 17 Apr.
2016.
Economic / Socioeconomic Issues (Natural Gas)." Natural Gas (Penn State Extension). Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences,
2016. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.
"Does Natural Gas Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions?" Conoco Phillips. Conoco Phillips, 2016. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.
"Comparison Against Other Fossil Fuels." Swarthmore College. Swarthmore College, 2016. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.

References
"Catskill Mountainkeeper." Catskill Mountainkeeper. Catskill Mountainkeeper, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
"Environmental Impacts of Natural Gas." Union of Concerned Scientists. Union of Concerned Scientists, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
Nyelectedoficial.org. n.p, n.d. May 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.
"A Brief History of Natural Gas." Fossil Energy - Department of Energy. U.S. Department of Energy, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
"U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Proved Reserves." Independent Statistics & Analysis. U.S. Energy Information Administration, n.d.
Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
"Russia." EIA Beta. U.S. Energy Information Administration, 28 July 2015. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
"Resources." NaturalGas.org. N.p., 20 Sept. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
"Benefits of Natural Gas." Alagasco. Alagasco, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.

References
"Natural Gas: Earth and Sky Friendly." National Fuel. National Fuel, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
"Use of Natural Gas." Independent Statistics and Analysis. U.S. Energy Information Administration, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
"What Is U.S. Electricity Generation by Energy Source?" Independent Statistics & Analysis. U.S. Energy Information Administration, 1
Apr. 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
International Gas Union. The Role of Natural Gas in a Sustainable Energy Market (n.d.): 1-12. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
"What Is Natural Gas?" Alberta Energy. Alberta Energy, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
"Combined-Cycle Power Plant - How It Works." Power Generation. General Electrics, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.