"Natural" Gas (methane)

[Roger Clifton]

"Natural" gas?

The word "natural" is a salesman's twist that we can ill afford to indulge. It was introduced when mineral gas was being touted to replace coal gas, which was toxic, in municipal supplies. Now however, it is anything but natural.

Already the methane levels in the atmosphere are double (*1) what they were before industrialisation. Considering that it is about 100 times (*2) more powerful greenhouse gas than CO2, doubling its effect on our "natural" climate is far from well, natural.

A major outbreak (*3) of methane from the Arctic clathrates would shatter the gently drifting equilibrium we have currently been calling "Nature". Then, as a species which evolved in it, we ourselves will be under pressure to adapt or vanish. If that is natural, then it is natural selection at work.

Call it methane. At least we recognise that word as one of three evils (*) corroding the "natural" world that our forefathers knew and our descendants will grieve for. By calling it natural, we are concealing the consequences of using it.


(*1) carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide in:
<a href="http://www.lenntech.com/greenhouse-effect/greenhouse-gases.htm">(link)</a>
(*2)<a href="http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/12/fugitive-methane-stirs-debate-on-natural-gas/">100 times</a>
(*3)<a href="http://climateforce.net/2012/01/09/methane-release-and-runaway-climate-change/">outbreak</a>

[davidm]

Although this is disputed, my impression from a couple of authoritative sites I read is that the notion that natural gas is a "bridge" source of energy, ie less climate change effect than coal and oil but more than nonfossil fuel alternatives is a mischaracterization. Yes fully combusted methane produces less CO2 than the other fossil fuel sources, however the inevitable leakage along the way of a small part of the uncombusted methane, which is a much more potent ghg than CO2, brings the infrared blanketing effect roughly on par.

[anonposter]

Actually it's probably worse than that, at least in the short term with the kind of estimates I've seen for leakage (though it does still burn with less particulates and other nasties so it's quite a bit better for local air quality, I'd still prefer methane to be last of the fossil fuels to be replaced on the grid simply due to the air pollution and being less dangerous than the other fossil fuels (though still more dangerous than nuclear)).

It's worth noting that there are well documented links between the renewable energy lobby, anti-nuclear industry and methane industry. Rod Adam's smoking gun series documents quite a few.

The main appeal of methane is that you can build the power plants quickly and cheaply without much in the way of regulatory crap, in the long term it's expensive and tends to track the price of oil pretty closely (but the power company can just pass it along in the rates).

[davidm]

Apr 29, 2012 4:35:59 GMT 9.5 @anonposter said:

It's worth noting that there are well documented links between the renewable energy lobby, anti-nuclear industry and methane industry. Rod Adam's smoking gun series documents quite a few.

Yeah, the sell out by the Sierra Club to get the natural gas money is disheartening but I guess once again reminds us of that darker version of the Golden Rule, "He who owns the gold, rules." It should be noted that the Sierra Club broke their financial ties with the frackers in 2010, a bit late in the game.

And here is an expression of outrage from one of the Sierra Club's former members, supposedly a modern day Rachel Carson.

[jagdish]

Reading about methane, always takes my mind to another fuel gas acetylene. It is unstable under pressure and is transported as a solution in acetone to store more gas at low pressure.
I have become a consumer of piped 'natural' gas (Methane) for domestic use but am still apprehensive about high pressure CNG for running vehicles. Even if the methane is stable at high pressure, there are isolated incidents of cylinder burst due to pressure. Are there any reasons against using a solvent for methane for limiting pressure as a safety measure?

[anonposter]

Using a solvent would probably reduce the energy density (and CNG is already a bit low in energy density) and the cases of cylinder burst due to pressure were usually due to stupidity (e.g. people plugging up pressure relief valves or trying to use damaged pressure vessels).

The fact that methane is lighter than air does at least mean that any leaks in an open place will rise away from the ground instead of pooling near the ground just waiting for a spark as LPG does when it leaks (LPG seems to combine the worst safety aspects of methane and petrol).

[David B. Benson]

Researchers Unveil Catalyst To Convert CO2 Into Methane
Brian Westenhaus
2023 Nov 01
OilPrice
oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Researchers-Unveil-Catalyst-To-Convert-CO2-Into-Methane.html

The catalyst uses a little copper to produce a stream of pure methane and another of pure oxygen.  Uses electricity.

[David B. Benson]

To save the climate, the oil and gas sector must slash planet-warming operations, report says
Sibi Arasu
2023 Nov 24
Phys.org
phys.org/news/2023-11-climate-oil-gas-sector-slash.html

So sayth the IEA, finally.

[David B. Benson]

Massachusetts Decides To Move Away From Natural Gas (Methane) For Residential Use
Steve Hanley
2023 Dec 09
CleanTechnica
cleantechnica.com/2023/12/09/massachusetts-decides-to-move-away-from-natural-gas-methane-for-residential-use/

And about 12 other governmental authorities appear ready to join that move.

[David B. Benson]

Oil Fields Release Far More Methane Than Thought, Study Finds
Hiroko Tabuchi
2024 Mar 13
The New York Times
www.nytimes.com/2024/03/13/climate/oil-gas-industry-methane-release.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ck0.Vlsk.ZCWJRLK-Ib6B&smid=url-share

In southeastern New Mexico up to 9% of all methane produced escapes.