What is natural gas? A chemist’s answer would be something along the lines that it is a colourless combustible substance consisting primarily of the hydrocarbon gases methane, ethane, propane, butanes and naphtha, and is normally divided into rich gas, NGLs and dry gas. That is naturally quite correct. However, if you ask a couple of ordinary Europeans who use Norwegian natural gas every single day, you might get a rather different response. Where they are concerned, natural gas is quite simply essential.
WATER HEATING: Hot water has many applications and can be produced in many ways. Millions of people, like these German swimmers, can thank Norwegian natural gas for keeping water at a pleasant temperature. (Photo: Karlheinz Krämer)
In practice, this commodity represents heat on cold days – in the shower, in the living room, at work and in the pool. It is the energy source which generates electricity and permits people to cook in their kitchen.
Gas from the NCS is quite simply the everyday energy source for millions of people. Gassco’s job is to ensure that it is available every single day.
Natural gas is not only the most environmentfriendly fossil energy source, but also very flexible. Its immediate availability, on demand, is taken for granted by millions of consumers and allows it to be used for many important jobs.
The natural gas produced on the NCS and piped beneath the sea to Britain and continental Europe is actually crucial for meeting a range of requirements in these countries. But what is it used for? What do these requirements comprise, and why is gas so essential? Its applications can be divided into three main categories: electricity generation, heating and transport.
Electricity generation Generating power with the aid of natural gas is highly efficient and environment-friendly compared with other fossil fuels, such as coal and oil. That is particularly true since modern technology allows the residual heat from initial generation to be used for producing steam, which can generate even more power.
And the remaining surplus heat which is not hot enough to produce steam can be applied to heating industrial buildings and private homes close to the power station.This triple utilisation of the energy in natural gas permits highly efficient power output. Compared with Europe’s many coal-fired generating facilities, gas-fired stations offer a substantial environmental gain.
WARM HOMES: Countless households are heated with the aid of natural gas. Good both for the climate and for indoor comfort. (Photo: IstockPhoto)
Heating Private and commercial consumers primarily use gas for heating, hot water and cooking. Large gas-fired boilers for waterborne central heating are very widespread in European blocks of flats and commercial buildings. Norwegian oil and gas is an excellent energy source for such facilities.
But water also needs to be heated at the individual household level. Modern gas-fired boilers have become highly energy-efficient. At the same time, energy-dense, clean-burning gas means low local emissions and consequent good air quality. That is particularly important in built-up areas on cold days. Many uropean kitchens, both professional and private, are equipped with gas hobs. A naked gas flame gives cooks a quick, efficient and flexible heat source, and many prefer it to the various electrical solutions.
Transport Gas-fuelled vehicles have also become more widespread in recent years, not least for heavy goods transport. Lorries, buses and cars running on gas do not represent a large percentage of the total yet, but the technology is both mature and well-developed. And each vehicle using gas instead of diesel oil or petrol reduces emissions.
Both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) can be used as fuel in the transport sector. They also represent an excellent option at sea. Steady growth in the proportion of Norwegian ferries running on gas provides a good example of its admirable qualities for this purpose. Refuelling with gas is quick, it has a big energy potential and yields low local emissions. Norway has led the way in developing LNG as a maritime fuel, but the signs are that other countries have now begun to appreciate the benefits of this technology.
FILLING GAS: Norwegian natural gas has been driving Europe ahead since the 1970s, and is becoming increasingly popular as a fuel in the transport sector. (Photo: Patrick Seeger/dpa)
Hydrogen is another gas rapidly gaining ground in the transport sector. In principle, this technology represents renewable energy – hydrogen reacts in fuel cells with oxygen in the air to release energy and clean water. However, 95 per cent of the world’s hydrogen is currently produced from fossil sources, primarily natural gas.
So what is natural gas? It is hydrocarbons, hot water in the shower, primarily methane, a cook’s tool, fuel for power stations and transport, and a warm living room.
