NATURAL GAS

WHAT IS NATURAL GAS?

Natural gas is a subcategory of petroleum that is a naturally
occurring, complex mixture of hydrocarbons, with a minor amount
of inorganic compounds.
It is commonly accepted that natural gas, like oil, has been
generated from organic debris that have been deposited in
geologic time.
Geologists and chemists agree that petroleum originates from
plants and animal remains that accumulate on the sea/lake floor
along with the sediments that form sedimentary rocks.
The processes by which the parent organic material is converted
into petroleum are not understood.
Over time (tens to hundreds of millions of years), because of
compaction, high pressure, and temperature, the organic material
gradually became coal, oil, or natural gas.
Methane is a major component of the gas mixture.
The inorganic compounds nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen
sulfide are not desirable because they are not combustible and
cause corrosion and other problems in gas production and
processing systems.
Depending upon gas composition, especially the content of
inorganic compounds, the heating value of natural gas usually
varies from 700 Btu/scf to 1,600 Btu/scf.
GEOLOGICAL SETTINGS
Natural gas accumulations in geological traps can be classified as
reservoir, field, or pool.
A reservoir is a porous and permeable underground formation
containing an individual bank of hydrocarbons confined by
impermeable rock or water barriers and is characterized by a single
natural pressure system.
A field is an area that consists of one or more reservoirs all related
to the same structural feature.
A pool contains one or more reservoirs in isolated structures.
 Wells in the same field can be classified as gas wells, condensate
wells, and oil wells.
i. Gas wells are wells with producing gas-oil-ratio (GOR) being
greater than 100,000 scf/stb.
ii. Condensate wells are those with producing GOR being less than
100,000 scf/stb but greater than 5,000 scf/stb.
iii. Wells with producing GOR being less than 5,000 scf/stb are
classified as oil wells.
 Natural gas is petroleum in a gaseous state, it is always
accompanied by oil that is liquid petroleum.
There are three types of natural gases:
i. non-associated gas,
ii. associated gas, and
iii. gas condensate.
i. Non-associated Gas
These are reservoirs that contain almost entirely natural gas at
reservoir conditions. They are generally found at greater depth.
If the fluid at the surface still remains gas, then it is called dry
gas.
If the surface pressures cause some liquid hydrocarbons to evolve,
it is called a wet gas reservoir.
ii. Associated Gas
Almost all oil reservoirs except those classified as extra heavy or
tars will produce some natural gas at the surface.
Oil will not be shipped in a commercial pipeline or a tanker with gas
still in the solution.
The term stock tank oil means that all associated gas has been
stripped from the liquid at one atmosphere pressure.
The gas thus liberated is known as associated gas.
iii. Gas Condensate
Gas Condensate refers to gas with high content of liquid
hydrocarbon at reduced pressures and temperatures.
UTILIZATION OF NATURAL
GAS
Natural gas is one of the major fossil energy sources.
Natural gas provided about 23% of the total world energy supply, and
that share would certainly increase.
Natural gas is a gaseous-phase fossil fuel while coal is a solid and oil is a
liquid phase fossil fuel.
It is colorless, odorless, shapeless, and lighter than air.
It was used for domestic applications such as space heating and cooking.
Now natural gas is used as a source of energy in all sectors of the
economy, and, increasingly, to generate electricity.
When one standard cubic feet of natural gas is combusted, it
generates 700 Btu to 1,600 Btu of heat, depending upon gas
composition.
 SUI GAS
COMPOSITION OF RAW & PURIFIED TYPICAL NATURAL GAS FROM SUI GAS
FIELD

Major Constituents Commercial Units Raw Gas Purified Gas

CH4 % volume 88.52 94.42
C2H6 0.89 1.05
C3H8 0.26 0.28
C4+ 0.37 0.17
N2 2.46 3.89
H2S Grains / 100 SCF 92.2 Traces
RSH Grains / 100 SCF 3.8 Traces
CO2 % volume 7.35 0.02
Gross Heating Value Btu / SCF 933 975
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT
NATURAL GAS
Environmentally friendly
Widely available in certain regions
Lower in price than crude oil
More difficult to distribute than crude oil
Shale gas has changed the industry
More gas than crude oil produced in Pakistan
SUMMARY
World economy runs almost entirely on fossil fuels (gas more than
coal 2030 and eventually more than oil).
Gas reserves have increased over 20 % the last ten years. Year-to-
year affected by economic crisis.
Only 25 % of reserves outside the Middle East and Europe and
Eurasia (mainly Russia).
LNG strong growth, now 30 % of world trade.