name the major component of natural gas?
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Answered by
18
Originally Answered: What are the typical components of natural gas?
Hydrogen and Carbon, definitively.
The rest of the answer likely depends on context, temperature and pressure.
In common vernacular, “natural gas” only refers to methane and possibly methane/ethane mixture (depending on if a processing plant is operating in ethane recovery or ethane rejection). Any higher chain hydrocarbons should be named specifically - propane, butane, pentane, etc. For example, a common question to ask someone who doesn’t live near a major city would be “Does your house use natural gas or propane?” In that context, natural gas refers to methane (with an odor added so you can smell leaks).
A gas stream coming directly out of a well would have many or all of the components mentioned above, in gas form, but would be processed before being sold. Processing the gas separates the lighter and heavier hydrocarbons. The resulting components would be methane and some ethane in gas form and the rest as natural gas liquids.
Anything else, such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or helium should be considered a contaminant and while it may be present in a gas stream, is not “natural gas.” Though, they are gasses and they occur naturally, which is why the context is important.
In short, the answer to your question depends on if you are asking about the left or right side of the image below.
Hydrogen and Carbon, definitively.
The rest of the answer likely depends on context, temperature and pressure.
In common vernacular, “natural gas” only refers to methane and possibly methane/ethane mixture (depending on if a processing plant is operating in ethane recovery or ethane rejection). Any higher chain hydrocarbons should be named specifically - propane, butane, pentane, etc. For example, a common question to ask someone who doesn’t live near a major city would be “Does your house use natural gas or propane?” In that context, natural gas refers to methane (with an odor added so you can smell leaks).
A gas stream coming directly out of a well would have many or all of the components mentioned above, in gas form, but would be processed before being sold. Processing the gas separates the lighter and heavier hydrocarbons. The resulting components would be methane and some ethane in gas form and the rest as natural gas liquids.
Anything else, such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or helium should be considered a contaminant and while it may be present in a gas stream, is not “natural gas.” Though, they are gasses and they occur naturally, which is why the context is important.
In short, the answer to your question depends on if you are asking about the left or right side of the image below.
Answered by
24
Natural gas is primarily composed of methane so, methane is the major component of natural gas.
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