| Natural gas is a mixture of gases that formed from | | | | The sweetened gas is pumped into a network of steel |
| the fossil remains of ancient plants and animals buried | | | | transmission pipes that range in size from 20 to 42 |
| deep in the earth. The main ingredient in natural gas is | | | | inches in diameter. About every 50 to 60 miles the gas |
| methane. Methane is odorless and colorless. So, why | | | | passes through a compressor station. Compressor |
| does natural gas smell? The gas company adds a | | | | stations pressurize the gas to make it flow faster. It |
| chemical called mercaptan, which gives natural gas | | | | reduces the volume so more gas can flow through the |
| that funny sulfur-like or rotten egg odor. This odor is | | | | pipes. |
| added for safety reasons so that people will know | | | | The pipeline eventually splits off to storage tanks for |
| when they have a leak. | | | | future use or to a natural gas utility company who |
| Natural gas gives off a lot of heat and light when it | | | | delivers natural gas to your home. The pressure is |
| burns, but doesn't produce smoke. That makes it a | | | | reduced at the utility and mercaptan is added. Natural |
| good fuel for use in the home. Today, more than half | | | | gas up to this point is odorless. |
| the homes in the U.S. are heated by natural gas. | | | | The natural gas travels through small pipes called |
| Natural gas is also reliable because its pipes are buried | | | | distribution mains which are between 2 and 24 inches |
| safely underground reducing loss of service related to | | | | in diameter and run below the streets. The distribution |
| storms. | | | | mains split off into smaller service line pipes which go |
| Natural gas molecules are found deep beneath the | | | | directly to your home. The pipes go through a gas |
| earth's surface in gas traps. It's composed of methane, | | | | pressure regulator where the pressurization is reduced |
| carbon dioxide, butane, ethane, propane, pentane, | | | | and then into the gas meter which measures the |
| nitrogen, hexane, heptates, and water vapor. Oil | | | | amount of gas you use. |
| companies, like Western Pipeline Corporation, drill wells | | | | The natural gas exists in the gas pipes of your home |
| to extract the natural gas molecules from these traps. | | | | available to be used by your gas furnace or stove on |
| It is then pumped through a pipeline to a processing | | | | demand. When demanded a valve opens which lets |
| plant. The impurities are removed; the water vapor, | | | | gas flow to the burner where a pilot light ignites the |
| carbon dioxide and other molecules; in a treatment | | | | gas. |
| process called "sweetening" the gas. | | | | |