DEFINITION OF NATURAL GAS

Petroleum that occurs naturally under normal

conditions of temperature and pressure in the ground in a

gaseous state. Most natural gas is methane, followed by

ethane, propane, butane, and pentane, with common impurities

of inorganic gases including nitrogen, carbon dioxide,

and hydrogen sulfide. Natural gas has an origin similar to

other hydrocarbons, being derived from the decomposition of

buried organic matter. It is simply the lighter end member of

the spectrum of compositions of hydrocarbons, and being a

gas, it has only gaseous hydrocarbons (C1-C5) with no C6+

compounds. All types of organic matter can contribute to the

formation of natural gas, when buried and heated to more

than 320°F (160°C). Some natural gas is generated during the

decomposition of coal and petroleum when they are heated

above 320°F, whereas other gas is produced along with the

generation of other hydrocarbons. An additional type of natural

gas is biogenic methane, produced at shallow levels by

the biodegradation of petroleum, and when bacteria reduce

carbon dioxide to methane in shallow sediments. Natural gas

is abundant in shallow crustal reservoirs and is useful as a

fossil fuel. It generally burns much cleaner than petroleum or

coal and so is increasingly being sought as an energy source.

Reserves of natural gas are huge and may greatly exceed the

remaining reserves of petroleum in the world.

See also HYDROCARBON; PETROLEUM.

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