Back to Class – Learning the Fundamentals of Natural Gas
As kids across the nation head back to school this month, it’s a great time to brush up on the basics of natural gas. We talk all the time about the new, innovative, and complex ways that natural gas serves you, your family, and your community, but how deep is your knowledge about the fundamentals? Take a look at our back-to-basics and even take our Natural Gas 101 quiz to test your knowledge!
🔎 Where does natural gas come from?
Natural gas formed millions of years ago from ancient plants and animals buried beneath layers of sediment.
- Originated from microscopic organisms that lived in ancient seas.
- Over millions of years, those microscopic organisms became buried under layers of sediment.
- Heat and pressure transformed this organic material into natural gas, that are now found in underground rock formations throughout the world.
🔬 What is natural gas made of?
Natural gas is a naturally occurring fuel composed primarily of methane.
- Methane (CH₄) contains one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms.
- Natural gas is naturally colorless and odorless.
- Natural gas produces carbon dioxide, water vapor, and small amounts of nitrogen oxides when used as fuel.
- Natural gas delivers reliable energy for homes, businesses, and industries.
📐 How is natural gas measured?
Natural gas is measured based on the amount of energy it provides.
- Energy content is measured in British thermal units (Btu).
- One Btu equals the heat needed to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.
- Residential natural gas use is commonly measured in therms.
- One therm equals approximately 103,200 Btu.
- About 10 therms can meet the average home’s natural gas needs for roughly five days.
💡 When did Americans start using natural gas?
Natural gas has been helping fuel American communities for more than 200 years.
- Natural gas-fueled street lamps illuminated Baltimore’s streets as early as 1816.
- Commercial natural gas production began in 1821.
- By 1900, natural gas had been discovered in 17 states.
- Today, natural gas is widely used in homes, businesses, manufacturing, and power generation.
- It remains the nation’s leading fuel source for home heating.
🚘 When was America’s natural gas pipeline system built?
America’s natural gas delivery network expanded rapidly following World War II and continues to grow today.
- Natural gas utilities operate more than 2.8 million miles of distribution pipelines.
- The network safely and reliably delivers energy to millions of customers.
- Major infrastructure growth began after World War II.
- The system’s length is comparable to the nearly 2.9 million miles of paved roads in the United States.
📚 How does natural gas support back-to-school season?
Natural gas helps produce many of the products students and families use every day.
- Used in manufacturing materials found in backpacks, binders and calculators.
- Helps produce medical supplies, including personal protective equipment and syringes.
- Supports the production of electronics and household products.
- Serves as a key ingredient in countless manufacturing processes that support modern life.