Natural Gas is a naturally occurring mixture of gasses containing both hydrocarbons and non-hydrocarbons. It is generally found in porous rock formations (like sandstone and limestone) under the earth’s surface, usually in association with petroleum deposits. Alternatively it can be produced by the gasification of coal. The principal component (80 – 95 %) of natural gas is methane (CH4). It also contains small amounts of propane, ethane and butane.
Natural gas is colourless, odourless and is the cleanest-burning of the hydrocarbon fuels. It is already in common use around the world as a fuel for combustion engines, but will produce more energy with less pollution when used in a fuel cell. |
