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