What is natural gas?
natural gas is a highly flammable odor and a colorless hydrocarbon gas predominantly composed of methane. It is produced in pressure deposits located deep in the Earth's crust, commonly located just above the oil deposits. The gas is created about the same way as oil by geological processes that have an organic matter for millions of years. The high flammability associated with low emissions makes it a highly valuable source. More economical than electricity, natural gas is primarily used for heating of houses, cooking and running appliances such as water heaters and dryers.
Early civilizations had an interesting relationship with natural gas. As it leaked from Hluboký to the ground, occurrences such as strokes of light, sometimes lit it. For ancient nations, they accepted a fire between rocks or shallow swamps without a visible flammable source divine or supernatural meaning. One of the famous examples is the legend of the "eternal adhesion" of Mount Parnassus, discovered by the Greek goat about 3,000 years ago. Temple of Oracle ofDelphi was reportedly built around the fire and the priestess released a prophecy inspired by miraculous flames. Determination of the areas where the ground escaped was directed to the fuel of the fire under the flower pots of boiling sea water to form distilled drinking water.
In 1785, the United Kingdom commercialized alternative natural gas made of coal. The production has spread to the United States after the turn of the century, but coal gas was less clean and less effective. In 1821, William Hart of New York dug the first well -looking natural gas and the first American gas company soon followed. Robert Bunsenvalesl Bunsen burner in 1885 and until 1938 was natural gas in the United States.
In addition to natural bearings, small microorganisms called methanogens produce natural gas by interrupting organic matter. Methanogens are located in the intestines of humans and many animals,Including cattle, and can also be found near the surface of the Earth in anaerobic conditions. These microorganisms are responsible for landfill gas, or more precisely called biogenic methane , different from thermogenic methane or stored gas. Although many natural gas escapes into the air from various biogenic sources, there is an effort to develop technology that can harvest it from unconventional sources. This would supplement natural deposits, which, according to some estimates, are quite extensive.
According to Energy Information Administration since 2006, Russia has about 27% of the world's total reserves for natural gas deposits - most of each country. Together, the Middle East countries have about 40% of the world's total reserves, while Iran has the largest part (about 14%). Africa and Asia have around 8%, with Asia only a little more than Africa. Together, Central and South America has about 4% of the share - approximately the same as the United States.