SWS 2007 Lecture 8: Lecture 8
9 Mar 2017
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Document Summary
About twice the energy output of an equivalent amount of coal. Natural gas is a fossil fuel like oil and coal formed from the remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. Pressure (cid:272)o(cid:373)(cid:271)i(cid:374)ed with heat deep (cid:271)elow the earth s surfa(cid:272)e (cid:271)eaks dow(cid:374) carbon producing gas and oil. At relatively low temperatures, oil is formed. At higher temperatures, natural gas is formed. The greater the depth below the surface, the greater the temperature, and more natural gas is formed compared to oil. Often 1 to 2 miles below the surface where it can be trapped in rock formations. However, some can migrate toward the surface through fractures in the rock. This is the source of most conveniently obtained natural gas. Gas rises near the surface and is trapped below impermeable rock or sediments. Gas that formerly was considered economically unviable. Deep natural gas- depths can exceed 15,000 ft. Tight natural gas- trapped in impermeable rock.
