NATURAL GAS

Natural gas is a fossil fuel formed over millions of years from decaying plant and animal matter buried in sedimentary rock layers. Heat and pressure transform plants and animals into solid, liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons are a class of organic compounds consisting of carbon and hydrogen and include crude oil, natural gas and coal. Raw natural gas (before processing) is composed primarily of methane, and may also contain varying amounts of ethane, propane butane, and pentane (commonly referred to as natural gas liquids (NGLs)). Raw natural gas may also contain non-energy components such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide and water. Most NGL’s and all the non-energy components, are removed in processing plants before the natural gas is marketable and placed into pipelines. Natural gas from coal (NGC), also known as coal bed methane (CBM), is an almost pure form of natural gas (methane) found within underground coal deposits. The methane contained within, and produced from, coal seams. This contrast with conventional natural gas, which is produced from sandstones and carbonates. Unlike raw natural gas in conventional underground reservoirs, CBM is generally “lean, sweet natural gas”, meaning it contains very little NGLs or non-energy components. This and other information about natural gas can be found on Natural Resources Canada website:

http://www2.nrcan.gc.ca/es/erb/prb/english/View.asp?x=691