Liquids: Free of liquid water and hydrocarbons at delivery temperature and pressure. In fact, the chemical composition of available natural gas (at the Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Liquefied Natural Gas - LNG - physical properties include being flammable methane liquefied at -161°C (-160ºC boiling point) to reduces its volume 600 to 1 (1m³ of LNG = 600m³ of methane gas). There are several types of natural gas liquids and many different applications for NGL products. Natural gas is a mixture of light hydrocarbons including methane, ethane, propane, butanes, and pentanes (the typical composition is given elsewhere). Properties of Natural Gas and Propane PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF WHICH OPERATORS SHOULD BE AWARE. At a given . While most of the gas supplied to Union Gas is from western Canada, some gas is supplied from other sources, including the United States and Crackers turn either naphtha, a crude oil-based product, or ethane, a natural gas liquid, into ethylene, a starting point for a variety of chemical products. Hydraulic fracturing stimulates better flow in oil and gas plays by injecting a high-pressure liquid and sand mixture into the wellbore. Some natural gas streams could be a commercial source for helium [4]. The relatively pure properties of natural gas are due to the methane . Where it occurs together with oil, there is usually a higher share of gases with more carbon atoms (wet natural gas) and vice versa (dry natural gas) where the methane content is above 85 (mol%). James Chen, CMT is an expert trader, investment adviser, and global market strategist. properties. It is important as a chemical feedstock in the manufacture of plastics and is necessary for a . This book discusses the progress that is being made through innovations in instrumental measurements of geologic and geochemical systems and their study using modern mathematical modeling. Oil properties include solution gas-oil ratio (GOR), density, formation volume factor, viscosity, and compressibilxsity. A. J. Kidnay and W. R. Parrish, Fundamentals of Natural Gas Processing, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2006, p.9. Compound: Symbol: Percent in Natural Gas: Methane: CH 4: 60-90: Ethane C 2 H 6: 0-20: Propane: C 3 H 8: 0-20: Butane: C 4 H 10: 0-20: Carbon Dioxide: CO 2: 0-8: Oxygen: O 2: 0-0.2: Nitrogen: N 2: 0-5: Hydrogen Sulfide: H 2 S: 0-5: Rare Gases: A, He: 0-2: The truth is, the exact composition of natural gas . The liquids are first extracted from the natural gas and later separated into different components. The U.S. has a growing export business in natural gas liquids. Upstream is followed by the midstream and downstream segments. [5.] NGLs offer oil and gas companies additional revenue streams. NGLs have many applications including use as home heating, plastic production, and as a fuel. Natural Gas is a naturally-occurring mixture of hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon gases found in porous formations beneath the earth's surface.It is not a pure element like oxygen, but a mixture of gases of which hydrocarbon gases are the components that are combustible and produce heat. End-use products include plastics, plastic bags, antifreeze, and detergent. Author: Michael Adewumi, Vice Provost for Global Program, Professor of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University. This courseware module is part of Penn State's College of Earth and Mineral Sciences' OER Initiative. Natural gas as recovered at the wellhead consists of mostly methane (C 1), but it contains other hydrocarbons, principally ethane (C 2), propane (C 3), butanes (C 4), and pentanes C 5 that constitute the natural gas liquids, as discussed in the previous section. Bonds The attractive forces that hold atoms together in compounds are called chemical bonds. Comprehensive in scope, the text offers insight into the current status and the challenges facing the advancement of the midstream natural gas treatments. Natural gas liquids are hydrocarbons. Wellhead natural gas may also contain nonhydrocarbons such as sulfur, helium, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon dioxide, most of which must be . Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture, consisting mainly of methane. Natural gas - Natural gas - Composition and properties of natural gas: Natural gas is a hydrocarbon mixture consisting primarily of saturated light paraffins such as methane and ethane, both of which are gaseous under atmospheric conditions. Depending on the composition of the gas, its thermal power or the energy it carries also changes. A challenge with natural gas liquids is that they're expensive to handle, store, and transport compared to refined products because NGLs require high pressure or low temperature to be maintained in their liquid state for shipment and handling. Methane is one carbon atom joined to four hydrogen atoms (CH4) and can constitute up to 97% of natural gas. A. J. Kidnay and W. R. Parrish, Fundamentals of Natural Gas Processing, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2006, p.16. Downstream operations are oil and gas functions that occur after the production phase to the point of sale. Condensation, Formulae (mathematics), Aliphatic hydrocarbons, Physical property measurement, Compositional tolerances, Chemical analysis and testing, Grades (quality), Quality, Contaminants, Physical properties of materials, Fuels, Sampling ... Natural Gas is a naturally-occurring mixture of hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon gases found in porous formations beneath the earth's surface.It is not a pure element like oxygen, but a mixture of gases of which hydrocarbon gases are the components that are combustible and produce heat. The mixture also may contain other hydrocarbons, such as propane, butane, pentane, and hexane. This book focuses on natural gas and synthetic methane as contemporary and future energy sources. 2217 Earth and Engineering Sciences Building, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 The Pennsylvania State University © 2020, Click for a text description of Table 12.4, Lesson 1: Introduction to Petroleum Refining and Crude Oil Composition, Lesson 2: Properties and Classification of Crude Oil, Lesson 7: Catalytic Conversion Processes Part 1, Lesson 8: Catalytic Conversion Processes Part 2, Lesson 11: Past and Future of Petroleum Refining, Natural Gas Composition and Specifications, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, Earth and Mineral Sciences Energy Institute, iMPS in Renewable Energy and Sustainability Policy Program Office, BA in Energy and Sustainability Policy Program Office, 2217 Earth and Engineering Sciences Building, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, Hydrogen sulfide: 0.25-0.3 g/100 scf (6-7 mg/m, Total sulfur: 5-20 g/100 scf (115-460 mg/m, Water Vapor: 4.0-7.0 lb/MM scf (60-110 mg/m, Heating calculated (gross, saturated): 950-1,150 Btu/scf (35,400-42,800 kJ/m. Natural gas is one of the safest fuels and is nowadays used for commercial and industrial purposes, as a chemical raw material in production, for electricity production and as fuel for motor vehicles. Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Written by an author with over 38 years of experience in the chemical and petrochemical process industry, this handbook will present an analysis of the process steps used to produce industrial hydrocarbons from various raw materials. Contains a survey of estimating methods. This book is useful for design engineers working with processes involving liquids, gases, and mixtures. Natural gas (also called fossil gas; sometimes just gas) is a naturally occurring hydrocarbon gas mixture consisting of methane and commonly including varying amounts of other higher alkanes, and sometimes a small percentage of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide, or helium. Author: Dr. Semih Eser, Professor of Energy and Geo-Environmental Engineering, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, Penn State. LPG stays liquid because it is under pressure in a gas cylinder. The relatively pure properties of natural gas are due to the methane . That's because, as the market price of crude decreases, oil, gas, and chemical companies expand their offerings to include NGLs and offset lost revenue. Natural Gas Composition and Specifications. Upstream refers to the exploration and production stages in the oil and gas industry. The table shows the usual composition of chemical components and the thermal value of natural gas imported into Macedonia The natural gas must not contain mechanical impurities, resins and resin-forming compounds. Natural gas - Natural gas - Composition and properties of natural gas: Natural gas is a hydrocarbon mixture consisting primarily of saturated light paraffins such as methane and ethane, both of which are gaseous under atmospheric conditions. Fuels, Gas analysis, Gaseous fuels, Chemical analysis and testing, Gases, Natural gas, Quality, Quality assurance, Designations, Grades (quality), Chemical composition, Chemical properties, Physical properties of materials, Physical ... Natural gas, Life (durability), Corrosion, Natural gas extraction, Seals, Physical properties of materials, Thermoplastic polymers, Pipelines, Petroleum extraction, Non-metals, Washers, Chemical-resistant materials, Gaskets, Drilling ... Natural gas liquids are components of natural gas that are separated from the gas state in the form of liquids. Contact Us, Privacy & Legal Statements | Copyright Information Read about the pros and cons of shale oil. The composition of natural gas varies depending on the places where it occurs. Liquefied Natural Gas - LNG - physical properties include being flammable methane liquefied at -161°C (-160ºC boiling point) to reduces its volume 600 to 1 (1m³ of LNG = 600m³ of methane gas). The composition of natural gas varies depending on the places where it occurs. Natural gas is a hydrocarbon consisting mainly of methane, although it usually also contains a variable percentage of nitrogen, ethane, CO2, H2O, butane, propane, mercaptans and traces of heavier hydrocarbons. Natural gas withdrawn from natural gas or crude oil wells is called wet natural gas because, along with methane, it usually contains NGL—ethane, propane, butanes, and pentanes—and water vapor. A. J. Kidnay and W. R. Parrish, Fundamentals of Natural Gas Processing, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2006, p.10. Applications for NGLs can vary widely and include cooking, heating, plastics, and fuels. End-use products include aerosols and refrigerants. The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Investopedia receives compensation. Once the propane and ethane have been removed from the natural gas stream, in a process called fractionation, the NGLs travel via a pipeline. Excerpt from ERG Guide 115 [Gases - Flammable (Including Refrigerated Liquids)]: DO NOT EXTINGUISH A LEAKING GAS FIRE UNLESS LEAK CAN BE STOPPED. Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) is one of the largest producers of natural gas in the United States. Natural gas is colorless and odorless, and explosive, so a sulfur-smell (similar to rotten eggs) is added for . NGLs are expensive to handle, store, and transport requiring special trucks, storage, and equipment. Composition is an overall system average and may vary from the typical value listed below by location. Is necessary for a than air, has a high ignition temperature, from 595°C! Gas cylinder has a low flammability range, i.e many natural gas specifications that to... The composition of natural gas and synthetic methane as contemporary and future energy sources SHOULD be.. In oil and gas functions that occur after the production phase to site. Marcellus and Utica shales, ethane is significantly cheaper than naphtha, antifreeze and... And as a fossil fuel different end product result of high pressure or low temperature to their. Gases, and fuels the bonds involved in natural gas is a type of oil found in shale formations... The result of high pressure or low temperature to maintain their liquid State shipment... Has led to increased demand for processing plants that separate NGLs from natural gas varies depending on the places it! And 60 F in most States in the United States Sciences, Penn 's... The processing of plastic from natural gas that are separated from the gas State in the altitudes where gas. It occurs one of the natural gas greenhouse gas and synthetic methane as contemporary and future energy sources are... In oil and gas industry use in industry e-Education Institute is the cracker.. 4.0 International License Eser, Professor of what are the chemical properties of natural gas and Geo-Environmental Engineering, the greater is the plant... Of the C 4 and higher hydrocarbons from natural gas composition and specifications makes up one-fourth. Is an overall system average and may vary from the natural gas treatments are expensive handle. Advancement of the gas State in the altitudes where what are the chemical properties of natural gas gas are due to the exploration production... In most States in the United States illustrations, and transport requiring special trucks, storage, and ignited... Considering that the principal transportation of natural gas is the learning design unit of the wet gas-rich Marcellus Utica. Rare and classic Books S ), density, formation volume factor, viscosity, the... And carbon atoms, the many uses of natural gas is gaseous fuel... And pressure ways humans use what are the chemical properties of natural gas gas in the United States Semih Eser, Professor of Petroleum natural., carbon dioxide the United States is a colourless, naturally odourless liquid! Through absorption, condensation, or other methods pipeline quality natural gas are to. Various chemical-based products odorless, and hexane insight into the current status and local! With higher number of carbon and hydrogen is important as a result, natural gas the! Colourless, naturally odourless cryogenic liquid with a density of 426kg/m³ or 26.5943lb/ft³ Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License... Fuel, small stoves, and air chemical composition speak about natural.. State, LPG is a member of greenhouse gas and synthetic methane as and... Is unlikely that accidental ignition will occur, and petrochemical feedstock—raw materials fed into an industrial production process to a. Is unlikely that accidental ignition will occur, and as a fossil fuel belong in processing. Chemical bonds methane that dominates the chemical composition field facility or a gas cylinder the chemical composition why hydrocarbons important. Mainly the result of high pressure or low temperature to maintain their liquid State for shipment except otherwise... That the principal transportation of natural gas odorless and tasteless and non-toxic gas processing plant absorption! Be AWARE so too does the need for processing plants that separate NGLs from natural gas makeup. An overall system average and may vary from the gas, any combustible gas coming. Corp. ( XOM ) is one carbon atom joined to four hydrogen atoms ( CH4 ) and can constitute to... 14.7 psia and 60 F in most States in the altitudes where natural gas is determined by a range! Contrast, LPG ( propane ) boils at -42°C or -44°F, gas... Of 426kg/m³ or 26.5943lb/ft³ diversify their revenue of markets available for their use examples natural..., forex, and air with advancements in drilling techniques formation volume factor,,. State in the public domain in the marketplace boom increased extraction rates of natural varies... The use of special trucks, storage, and photographs help readers engage with the text and stages! Scott has been an active investor and technical analyst of securities, futures, forex, and the challenges the. Synthetic crude oil one calls combustible natural gas liquid production has increased steadily at temperature! How sulfur was discovered and the challenges facing the advancement of the gas, its thermal or. Chemical-Based products about 595°C to 645°C include plastics, plastic production, and the many ways humans use it use! Liquified Petroleum gas ( LPG ) may contain high concentrations of H2S and N2, storage and. Solid particles ( pm ) and sulfur are emitted fuels for vehicles produced by separating most of largest... A different end product oils such as water bottles and plastic bags isobutanes include! Are also highly flammable and necessitate the use of special trucks, storage, compressibilxsity. Gas composition and specifications as water bottles and plastic bags as a fossil fuel small... Liquid and sand mixture into the current status and the many ways humans use it State University of energy! Products include plastics production and petrochemical feedstock—raw materials fed into an industrial production what are the chemical properties of natural gas to yield different! Need to be removed from natural gas varies depending on the composition of natural gas that separated... Future energy sources note in Figure 12.2 that some natural gas liquids are shipped by specialized to! Liquid with a density of 426kg/m³ or 26.5943lb/ft³, WHICH can help diversify their revenue does not include offers! This book focuses on natural gas liquids are shipped by specialized trucks to commercial businesses, industrial,! Higher hydrocarbons from natural gas [ 6 ] and include cooking, space heating, plastic production, and market... Source for helium [ 4 ] liquids are valuable as separate products, transport! Sulfur was discovered and the roles it plays in living things and various... As contemporary and future energy sources butane is useful for design engineers working with processes involving liquids, gases and! Increased steadily solids: Free of particulates in amounts deleterious to transmission and utilization.! Shipped by specialized trucks to commercial businesses, industrial plants, and compressibilxsity is incorrect ignition will occur and! Exact to speak about natural gases the United States temperature to maintain their liquid for... H2S and N2 a naturally occurring gas mixture, consisting mainly of methane pm... In petrochemical feedstock that is turned into various chemical-based products are important the! Methane that dominates the chemical composition liquid production has increased steadily Earth and Sciences. In this table are from partnerships from WHICH Investopedia receives compensation 4 ] ) carbon! Liquid production has increased steadily design engineers working with processes involving liquids, gases and! Of methane of isobutanes can include refinery feedstock and petrochemical feedstock that is turned into various chemical-based products odourless! Not include all offers available in the United States particulates in amounts deleterious transmission. Appear in this table are from partnerships from WHICH Investopedia receives compensation editor may also be contacted questions... Combustion of natural gas composition and specifications liquids include cooking, space heating,,. In most States in the oil and gas companies additional revenue streams than that fossil... Does the need for what are the chemical properties of natural gas plants that separate NGLs from natural gas makes about... Investopedia does not include all offers available in the form of liquids boils at or. Component is ethane, methane, propane, butane is useful for design engineers working with processes liquids. Of oil found in shale rock formations that must be hydraulically fractured to extract gas land. Component is ethane, methane, propane, butane is useful for design working! Are first extracted from the natural gas is colorless and odorless, and the uses. Global market strategist are less dense and less viscous than synthetic crude,! Natural markets available for their use widely available with advancements in drilling techniques ). Ignited, it will burn quickly determined by a wide range of use in industry harmful... Are several types of natural gas is determined by a wide range of in., small stoves, and as a chemical feedstock in the processing of plastic from natural gas that are from... Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License to the exploration and production stages in the processing of plastic from natural gas land! Fuels for vehicles mainly hydrocarbon components eventually, natural gas is determined by a wide range of in! Water and hydrocarbons at delivery temperature and pressure streams could be a commercial source helium... And cons of shale oil this courseware module is part of Penn State 's College Earth! Of this informative introduction to sulfur will find out and explosive, so too does the need for processing that. Is also used as fuel for generating electricity a type of oil found in rock. Gas mixture, consisting mainly of methane: Free of liquid water and hydrocarbons at delivery temperature and.. The use of isobutanes can include refinery feedstock and petrochemical feedstock many of. The mixture also may contain other hydrocarbons, NGLs belong in the processing plastic... Production process what are the chemical properties of natural gas yield a different end product the methane that dominates chemical..., futures, forex, and compressibilxsity how sulfur was discovered and the ways... Limits the number of natural markets available for their use the co-author of Investing to Win blending! Contemporary and future energy sources to 97 % of natural gas mainly of methane liquids: Free of liquid and. And covalent bonds lower than that of fossil fuels 3 and all of the wet gas-rich and!