Natural Gas
Energy & Communities
Throughout the oil and natural gas industry, improving air quality to safeguard health is a principal goal, and natural gas has already provided impressive results.
FACT SHEET: Reducing Methane Emissions
Since 1990, methane emissions from natural gas systems have dropped 14% during a period when production has increased 50%. This is effectively a 43% reduction in the rate of emissions, further demonstrating industry’s continued progress in minimizing emissions as we maximize efficiency in getting energy to the consumer.
Facts About The BLM Methane Rule
BLM’s Methane and Waste Prevention rule, also called the venting and flaring rule, finalized by the Obama Interior Department late last year is redundant, technically flawed and unnecessary.
Natural Gas: America's Abundant, Clean Energy
Today, America has an opportunity to embrace natural gas as a fuel of our future. The United States has vaulted past Russia to become the world’s largest natural gas producer and is projected to become a net exporter within the next decade. This development is attributable to technological innovation in the areas of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing that turned previously inaccessible natural gas resources into producing wells — a 100-year, secure and safe supply of cleanburning natural gas. It has also paved the way for significant economic growth and opportunity. Today, the natural gas industry supports nearly 3 million jobs and adds about $385 billion to the national economy each year.
Underground Natural Gas Storage
Natural gas is the most diversified fuel in the United States. This domestic fuel is used to cook food, fuel vehicles, generate electricity and as a raw material for products such as fertilizer and plastics. One of the most important uses of natural gas is to heat buildings and homes. About half of all U.S. homes use natural gas as their main heating source. This use results in significant seasonal variations in which natural gas consumption is highest during the winter time and lowest during mild-weather months. Natural gas storage enables supply to match demand on any given day throughout the year by adjusting to daily and seasonal fluctuations in demand while natural gas production remains relatively constant year-round.
Methodology for Estimating GHGs from LNG Operations
This document is designed to provide guidance for the quantification of GHG emissions associated with operations along the LNG value chain, i.e. liquefaction; shipping; loading/unloading; regasification; and storage.
Methane Management Answers
Methane is the natural gas we use in our homes and businesses, so operators have a strong incentive to bring all methane to market. Industry has led the way by developing new technology to capture gas, maintaining equipment to minimize leaks, as well as avoiding process releases.
Natural Gas Uses
Natural gas is made up of just two elements - carbon and hydrogen. It is part of a family of chemicals known as hydrocarbons, which also includes oil and gasoline. As its name suggests, natural gas comes out of the ground as a gas; oil, gasoline and other hydrocarbons are recovered mixed together in a liquid called crude oil.
Advanced Drilling Techniques
Horizontal drilling starts with a vertical well that turns horizontal within the reservoir rock in order to expose more open hole to the oil.
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) can play an important role in diversifying and expanding natural gas supplies and should be a part of a comprehensive, market-based energy policy that also encourages the development of domestic natural gas resources.