ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the value of natural gas as a fuel compared to other fossil fuels on an environmental basis. It gives a picture of the world’s natural gas resources and discusses current and future projections of United States energy production. The chapter covers the sources of natural gas, which includes conventional gas production from deep gas and gas–oil reservoirs as well as unconventional gases including coalbed methane and gas from the low-permeability (tight gas) formations of shale and tight sands. The chapter discusses gas compositions of both conventional and unconventional gases. Standard method for estimating the liquid content of a raw natural gas is shown. The chapter then covers the major products obtained from raw natural gas as well as the typical specifications, in terms of concentrations, of the products. Finally, the chapter shows how to compute the higher and lower heating value and Wobbe Number, important parameters of natural gas when used as a fuel.
