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Imagine a fuel that burns with relatively low emissions, is safely stored and burned, and is useful to the average consumer. This source of fuel would be incredibly useful to the modern world, because it would power the world without any ill effects. Amazingly, this holy grail of fuel was discovered in the early 1800’s, but and is just becoming one of the most popular fuels in the world now. This safe and efficient fuel is the second most popular source of electricity in the United States, and is gaining in popularity in other areas of the world.
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Natural gas is mined from the earth in a similar way as oil. One of four kinds of rigs are used, and a drilling bit reaches the gas bubble. Most oil mines, in fact, do contain natural gas. There are also some strictly natural gas mines. These mines are the most useful because they contain a larger amount of gas, and it is easier to mine it. After the gas is mined it must be refined. Heavy hydrocarbons must be removed from the gas to ensure that is remains a low emitter of pollution. Butane, propane, and other heavy hydrocarbons are removed from the gas in a liquid form before it is shipped to the consumer. Once the hydrocarbons are removed, the gas is called “Dry Gas”. This colorless, odorless gas is used by millions of people as a source of heat, electricity, and cooking.
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Electricity is generated from natural gas in a simple method similar to that of coal. The gas is burned to release heat. The heat that is released is used to boil water, and the boiling water releases steam. The released steam builds up pressure. The pressure is used to turn a turbine, and the turbine spins a generator. The spinning generator generates electricity from this amazingly safe fuel source.
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Currently, Natural gas mines are underutilized, and many undiscovered sources remain all over the earth. This source of energy can power the earth for many years to come, but eventually, it will run out. This is a temporary fix to a source to power the earth; there will be a time when natural gas reserves run out. This is the downfall to all organic, nonrenewable resources, such as natural gas. Research is needed in the area of Natural gas so that new, more efficient methods of burning the gas, and mining the gas are discovered. Natural gas has the possibility to power the planet only if it us carefully used, and mined.
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 Joe from United States contributed:
Recently, when I visited a landfill in my locale, I learned a very interesting fact. The manager of the landfill informed me that after a landfill has existed for several years (as the one I was visiting had), they produce some kind of gas. I can't remember if he said it was natural gas or not - I think he said it was methane. If so, methane, according to my dictionary, is a major constituent of natural gas. I remember well the torch from the landfill that burned on methane from the lower layers of decomposing garbage. The landfill produced so much gas that the flame (sizewise, in the neighborhood of five basketballs) burned all day and all night. Another interesting fact: the torch was the main deterrent of the odor emitted from the dump.
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 | See how natural gas is harvest... more
Copyright © Team C004471 - The Energy Planet (Thinkquest 2000) |
 | A compressor- and mixingstatio... more
Copyright © Gasunie. Permission obtained on 10th of August, by Telephone. |
| Dispatchers check the gas supp... more
Copyright © Gasunie. Permission obtained on 10th of August, by Telephone. |
| Guards check the area near the... more
Copyright © Gasunie. Permission obtained on 10th of August, by Telephone. |
| Big gasfield. The tanks are fi... more
Copyright © Gasunie. Permission obtained on 10th of August, by Telephone. |
| The gasinstallation in Alkmaar... more
Copyright © Gasunie. Permission obtained on 10th of August, by Telephone. |
| This markation tells us that t... more
Copyright © Gasunie. Permission obtained on 10th of August, by Telephone. |
| One of the meeting point for t... more
Copyright © Gasunie. Permission obtained on 10th of August, by Telephone. |
| Gas power-point. This gives pe... more
Copyright © Gasunie. Permission obtained on 10th of August, by Telephone. |
| This station controls the supp... more
Copyright © Gasunie. Permission obtained on 10th of August, by Telephone. |
| The capacity of the natural ga... more
Copyright © Gasunie. Permission obtained on 10th of August, by Telephone. |
 | The process of turning gas int... more
Copyright © EPZ. Permission obtained on 10th of August, by Telephone. |
| A power gererator.
Copyright © EPZ. Permission obtained on 10th of August, by Telephone. |
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