Methane, other Gases in bedrock

China—first recorded use piped through bamboo Gas lights used in Belgium & England William Murdoch: Scottish Engineer Put coal gas lights in cotton mills

1821, Fredonia New York William Hart drilled a well 27’ deep piped gas to a local inn—where it lit 66 lights 1872: long-distance pipelines made

Made of a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons Mostly methane CH 4 Some ethane C 2 H 6 PropaneC 3 H 8 ButaneC 4 H 10

More energy efficient - does not need to be converted into electricity Most often found trapped above petroleum deposits

Impurities removed Mercaptan added (scent – safety) Then piped > 1.8 million km of high pressure pipe in U.S. Middle East, Africa, South America LNG at -162°C

Cleaner to burn Half as much CO2 as coal More efficient 10% energy lost 60-year supply at current rates

Difficult to transport Pipelines Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) tankers Can be polluting, dangerous when extracted Methane bed drilling pollutes

U.S.A.204 Russia1688 Iran974 Qatar910 Saudi Arabia244 United Arab Emigrates214 These countries account for 67% of the world’s reserves

At the current rate? 100 trillion cubic feet per year—about 62 years At projected rates? About 150 trillion cubic feet per year— about 41 years