Natural Gas

Natural gas is safe and is one of the cleanest and most commonly used forms of energy.

It has been proven safe to produce and transport for consumer, commercial and industrial uses, as well as electrical power generation. The unique characteristics of natural gas contribute to its excellent safety record.

It is a gas, comprised of hydrocarbons, that has formed naturally underground.

A colorless, odorless combustible mixture of hydrocarbon gases, it consists primarily of methane (CH4) and can also contain other valuable industrial gases such as ethane, propane, butane, and pentane.

Use of natural gas for energy is good for the environment.

Increasing the use of natural gas in the energy mix is the fastest and most economical path to significantly reduce U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2). According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2016 were 1.7 percent below 2015 levels. This continues a decade-long trend where CO2 emissions have dropped 14 percent since 2005, even as the economy grew. CO2 emissions per unit of energy generated from the electric power sector fell by 4.8 percent in 2016 and have fallen 24.6 percent since 2005.i This is partially due to a significant switch from coal use for electricity generation to natural gas for electricity generation.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), natural gas used for power generation produces half as much carbon dioxide, less than a third as much nitrogen oxides, and 1 percent as much sulfur oxides at the power plant compared to the average air emissions from coal-fired generation. In addition to reduced air emissions, natural gas has other environmental benefits that make it a smart fuel choice. Natural gas-fired power plants use about 60 percent less water than coal plants and 75 percent less water than nuclear power plants for the same electricity output.

Plants that use natural gas to produce electricity lessen some challenges associated with solar, wind, hydro and nuclear power generation, such as visual impact, competing land uses, bird strikes and waste disposal. Natural gas is the fastest and most economical path to significantly reducing U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide from power generation, while minimizing impact on the land and use of our water resources.

Natural gas generation complements renewable generation.

Another benefit of natural gas-fired generation is its reliability and versatility. It fills the gap as a backup source and makes it possible for the U.S. to use renewables. Natural gas generation can be turned on and off quickly to match demand, can be built in cities near the demand, and can generate power year-round regardless of weather conditions. Wind and solar only produce electricity intermittently, and they require additional infrastructure such as battery storage to provide power at other times. Natural gas is a cheaper and more reliable option to provide power when renewables are offline and to meet peak demand in combination with renewables. By teaming up with natural gas, renewable energy generation can continue to grow.

Natural gas supports daily life in multiple ways.

In addition to being used to generate electricity, heat homes and businesses, and fuel vehicles, natural gas serves as a raw material for products such as plastics and fertilizer.

Natural gas is abundant.

The U.S. is the world’s top producer of natural gas.ii Over the last decade, drilling and well completion techniques have revolutionized the natural gas industry, opening up extensive new sources of domestic shale gas production. The Energy Information Agency estimates the US has over 90 years of domestic supply available.iii Additionally, the natural gas industry adds about $550 billion to the national economy and supports over 4 million jobs.iv

Natural gas surpassed coal as the primary fuel used for U.S. power generation in 2016.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data indicates that 2016 was the first year that natural gas-fired generation exceeded coal generation in the United States on an annual basis.v Natural gas now accounts for over one-third of all the power that is produced in the United States, contributing to decreasing carbon dioxide levels in the air to the lowest they have been in nearly 25 years.

In all the World Energy Outlook scenarios, demand for natural gas is predicted to increase over the next decade.vi

This increased demand is primarily tied to improved standards of living across the globe as people transition from energy poverty to prosperity. An excerpt from the Energy Access Outlook, published by the International Energy Agency:

"The number of people without access to electricity fell to 1.1 billion in 2016 from 1.7 billion in 2000. It is on track to decline to 674 million by 2030, with India reaching universal access well before then. Since 2012, more than 100 million people per year have gained electricity access, an acceleration from the rate of 62 million people per year seen between 2000 and 2012."

Natural gas has a small land footprint.

The production of electricity using natural gas requires the least amount of land for the energy provided than almost any other energy source. Wind and solar require more land to power the same number of homes as a natural gas-fired power plant.

Our industry is actively working to reduce methane emissions.

The U.S. EPA 2016 Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GHGI) confirmed that methane emissions from oil and gas development have fallen at the same time the shale revolution significantly increased production. Data shows combined natural gas and petroleum system methane emissions have decreased 19 percent since 1990 at the same time natural gas production has risen 52 percentvii and oil production has increased 28 percent.viii