NATURAL GAS

Andrea Alonso FernándezAlba Garcerán TorresMarina Tovar Fuentes 2ºA

1. Definition The natural gas constitutes an important fossil source of energy liberated by his combustion. It is a mixture of gaseous light hydrocarbons that is extracted from independent deposits.

It’s non-renewable energy. Methane and some other gases trapped between seams of rock under the earth’s surface. Pipes are sunk into the ground to release the gas.

2. Origin• Natural gas was formed over hundreds of millions of years from organic matter, such as plankton, plants and other life forms, which is why it’s sometimes referred to as a ‘fossil fuel’. 

• Over time, sand, sediment and rock buried the organic matter and eventually large quantities of natural gas were formed and trapped underground.

3. Uses

Heating of buildings and industrial processes.High performance powerplants.As natural gas vehicles, fuel.As a fuel cell to generate electricity on hydrogen vehicles.Often used in houses for heating and cooking.

4. Advantages

• Less pollutant: a source of energy that contaminates 30 % less of CO2 that the oil.

• Fewer acid rain: it is a less pollutant source and provokes for it fewer SO2, fewer acid rain.

• Great versatility: it is used in the production of products of the home, of the trade and of the industry.

• High energetic performance: using this type of source of energy a high energetic performance of conversion is obtained.

5. Disadvantages• Exhaustible source of energy, with high risks of depletion and utilization in a future.

• Emission of methane: great risk of escapes of methane during the transport of the natural gas to the place of destination.

• Greenhouse effect: his transport and utilization provokes a powerful greenhouse effect.

• Great environmental impact exists though even this way it produces fewer CO2 than the oil or the coal.