Natural Gas is mainly extracted from the petroleum deposits deep beneath the earth. In fact, it occurs just above the layer of crude oil, as gases are lighter than oil. It is formed through the same process through which petroleum is formed. High temperatures and pressure leads to the conversion of the remains of plants and animals buried under the earth into naturally occurring gas along with petroleum and coal.
What is Natural Gas used for?
- Natural Gas was used mainly for street and household lighting in the 19th and 20th century.
- Now, it has a lot more uses in the homes and industrial applications.
- It is used to turn turbines for wind and solar energy generation.
- This fossil fuel is used for the production of ammonia which itself is used for making fertilizers.
- It is a domestic fuel as well. It fires stoves in our houses and also runs heaters, ovens, boilers, etc.
- Compressed Natural Gas or CNG, that is gas stored at high pressure, is also used in some households for heating and cooking purposes.
- CNG is also a cheap and environment friendly alternative for a transportation fuel used in low load vehicles requiring high fuel efficiency.
- Liquefied Natural Gas or LNG is used to power vehicles such as off-road trucks and trains.
What are the advantages of Natural Gas?
- Natural Gas is a cleaner fuel. It is less harmful to the environment than coal, petrol or diesel as it has less carbon dioxide emissions.
- It can be easily stored and transferred through pipelines.
- It is relatively more abundant than other fossil fuels i.e. coal and petroleum.
- It is also a safer fuel, as it is lighter than air and dissipates rather than exploding.
- It provides instant energy, which is why it is used in oven cooking, as it does not require pre-heating.
To know more about other fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, etc., watch interactive videos at BYJU’S – The Learning App.
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