Natural gas

Description of natural gas

The first discovered evidence of natural gas was recorded in 6,000 and 2,000 BC in what is now Iran.

Scientists mention that the first to use natural gas were the Chinese around 900 BC, and natural gas was transported through pipelines made of bamboo. Natural gas was not discovered in Europe until 1659 in England.

Across the Atlantic, the town of Fredonia in New York County has been lit by natural gas since 1821. However, the use of natural gas continued to be limited as there was no way to transport it at long distances. For more than a century, the use of natural gas remained negligible, with industrial development based on coal, oil, and electricity.

The transmission of natural gas through pipelines was developed in the 1920s. After World War II, a period of sustained natural gas consumption began, which continues today. In 1950, natural gas accounted for 12% of energy consumed globally, a percentage that increased to 14.6% in 1960 and 25% in 1980. In 1960, global natural gas production was 470 billion cubic meters, while in 1979 it had reached 1.459 trillion cubic meters.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that after 2010 natural gas consumption will exceed coal consumption and by 2030 it will cover 1/4 of the world's energy needs.

Natural gas consists mainly of methane, including ethane, propane butane and carbon dioxide, nitrogen, helium and hydrogen sulphide.

Natural gas is colorless and odorless, and its artificial odor helps detect leaks. Natural gas belongs to the second family of gaseous fuels and is lighter than air with a specific gravity of 0.59.

Burning natural gas, compared to other fossil fuels, has a less harmful impact on the environment as it emits less carbon dioxide for each unit of energy produced. After renewables, natural gas is the cleanest source of primary energy, with fewer pollutant emissions than conventional fuels.

What is natural gas used for?

— Electricity generation

Electricity generation using natural gas as fuel is growing rapidly across Europe.

Especially in Bulgaria, this trend is already evident after the liberalization of the energy market, with cogeneration of electricity and heat and combined cycle plants becoming more and more important.

The environmental properties of natural gas, combined with its low operating costs and high thermal efficiency, make natural gas a unique fuel in power generation.

— Industry

Natural gas is the natural energy of choice for industries with direct and indirect heat needs, enhancing their competitive advantage. Natural gas can be described as a convenient, efficient, clean and economical fuel. It is also an abundant and reliable fuel with applications in advanced technologies.

The main advantages of using natural gas in the industrial sector are:

A steady supply of fuel that ensures uninterrupted operation and unblocks capital to maintain reserves and storage space.
Reduced pollution emissions, making a crucial contribution to a cleaner environment by reducing the greenhouse effect.
Reduced operating costs for fuel and maintenance management.
Increased energy efficiency and economy.
Improved product quality.
Easy management and control.
Decentralisation of heat uses.

— Households

Natural gas at home provides ease, autonomy, safety and less strain on the family budget.

Through a continuous and stable supply of natural gas, every household can ensure:

Heating without dependency and with constant power supply
Cooking and hot water without having to wait and you can adjust the thermostat directly.

The main characteristics of natural gas in the household are:

Autonomy, speed and agility.
Constant and permanent deliveries, without dependence.
Safety in use, no odors, noise and pollution.
Simple and easy installation of equipment with cleanliness and space saving.
Longer life of appliances and equipment, with greater efficiency and less maintenance, without the extra cost of running it smoothly (tanks, pumps, preheater, etc.).
Savings at all levels, given that gas consumption is not prepaid, as in the case of the acquisition and burning of oil to run the central heating system.

— Business

Hotels and hospitals, educational institutions, sports and cultural centres, large office buildings, leisure centres, malls and shops can all use natural gas.

They can reap the benefits of achieving great savings and absolute functionality for heating, cooking, hot water, and other specialized applications.

Natural gas will prove to be the most useful solution for the daily needs of professional activities. Bakeries, restaurants, pastry shops, silver and goldsmith workshops, businesses using washers and dryers, auto repair shops with paint ovens are among the many in the long list of natural gas users.

The main characteristics of natural gas in the business sector are:

Avoided orders and delayed fuel deliveries.
Better use of the space that today is used for fuel storage (tanks).
Aesthetic perfection, increased cleanliness of areas and appliances.
Less appliance maintenance.
Rational use of energy, reduced operating costs, savings.
Extended equipment life while ensuring greater efficiency

— Natural gas as a pollutant

Natural gas is the cleanest source of primary energy, second only to renewable forms. The pollutant emission figures are clearly lower than those of conventional fuels, while the improvement in efficiency rates reduces overall fuel consumption and therefore further limits air pollution.

Pollutants emitted in relation to other fuels during combustion in a steam plant in mg/MJ of imported fuel heat:

Fuel type	Particles	Nitric oxide	Sulphur dioxide	Carbon monoxide	Carbohydrates
Coal	1,092	387	2,450	13	2
Crude oil	96	170	1,400	14	3
Diesel	6	100	220	16	3
Natural gas	4	100	0,3	17	1

Source: Appendix A to "List of Air Pollutants," October 1986, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

— Interesting facts

Transporting gas through underground pipelines does not disturb people or the environment
The gas industry provides around 305 000 jobs in the European Union
When burned to heat homes or for industrial purposes, natural gas emits 25-30% less CO2 than oil and 40-50% less CO2 than coal per unit of energy produced
The number of natural gas vehicles (NGVs) in the EU is around 1 850 000 and growing
Replacing an old coal-fired plant with a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 70%
The share of natural gas in the energy sector is 22% globally
According to the World Economic Forum, global energy consumption is expected to grow by approximately 40% between 2009-2035
Based on state-of-the-art technology, efficiencies of up to 60% can be achieved in natural gas-fired power generation.
The gas reserves we already know about, i.e. in conventional reservoirs, will provide enough to meet demand for more than 120 years at today's consumption levels.
Natural gas produces little nitrous oxide, sulfur dioxide or particulate matter
Natural gas power generation can be switched on and off quite quickly, making natural gas power generation the fuel of choice to meet sudden changes in electricity demand or supply
LNG has been stored and transported for 50 years without serious incident