24 PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY, ECONOMICS, AND POLITICS
two wells in the same field may also yield gaseous products that are
different in composition (Speight, 1990).
Natural gas (also called marsh gas and swamp gas in older texts
and more recently landfill gas) is a gaseous fossil fuel that is found
in oil reservoirs, natural gas reservoirs, coal seams. It is a vital component of the world's supply of energy. It is one of the cleanest,
safest, and most useful of all energy sources. While it is commonly
grouped in with other fossil fuels and sources of energy, there are
many characteristics of natural gas that make it unique.
Natural gas is the result of the decay of animal remains and
plant remains, or organic debris, that has occurred over millions
of years. Over time, the mud and soil that covered the organic
debris changed to rock and trapped the debris beneath the newly
formed rock sediments. Pressure, and to some extent, heat (as yet
undefined) changed some of the organic material into coal, some
into oil (petroleum), and some into natural gas. Whether or not the
debris formed coal, petroleum, or gas depended upon the nature
of the debris and the localized conditions under which the changes
occurred.
Natural gas has been known for many centuries, but its initial
use was probably more for religious purposes rather than as a fuel.
For example, gas wells were an important aspect of religious life in
ancient Persia because of the importance of fire in their religion. In
classical times, these wells were often flared and must have been
awe-inspiring (Scheil and Gauthier, 1909; Schroder, 1920; Lockhart,
1939; Forbes, 1964). Furthermore, just as petroleum was used in
antiquity, natural gas was also known in antiquity. However, the
use of petroleum has been relatively well documented because of
its use in warfare and as mastic for walls and roads (Henry, 1873;
Abraham, 1945; Forbes, 1958a, 1958b; James and Thorpe, 1994).
Natural gas was first discovered in the United States in Fredonia,
New York, in 1821. In the years following this discovery, natural gas
usage was restricted to its environs because the technology for storage and transportation (bamboo pipes notwithstanding) was not well
developed and, at that time, natural gas had little or no commercial
value. In fact, in the 1930s when petroleum refining was commencing — an expansion in technology that is still continuing — natural
gas was not considered a major fuel source and was only produced
as an unwanted by-product of crude oil production and/or refining.
It is only during the last several decades that natural gas has been
seen as a major contributor to energy production.
two wells in the same field may also yield gaseous products that are
different in composition (Speight, 1990).
Natural gas (also called marsh gas and swamp gas in older texts
and more recently landfill gas) is a gaseous fossil fuel that is found
in oil reservoirs, natural gas reservoirs, coal seams. It is a vital component of the world's supply of energy. It is one of the cleanest,
safest, and most useful of all energy sources. While it is commonly
grouped in with other fossil fuels and sources of energy, there are
many characteristics of natural gas that make it unique.
Natural gas is the result of the decay of animal remains and
plant remains, or organic debris, that has occurred over millions
of years. Over time, the mud and soil that covered the organic
debris changed to rock and trapped the debris beneath the newly
formed rock sediments. Pressure, and to some extent, heat (as yet
undefined) changed some of the organic material into coal, some
into oil (petroleum), and some into natural gas. Whether or not the
debris formed coal, petroleum, or gas depended upon the nature
of the debris and the localized conditions under which the changes
occurred.
Natural gas has been known for many centuries, but its initial
use was probably more for religious purposes rather than as a fuel.
For example, gas wells were an important aspect of religious life in
ancient Persia because of the importance of fire in their religion. In
classical times, these wells were often flared and must have been
awe-inspiring (Scheil and Gauthier, 1909; Schroder, 1920; Lockhart,
1939; Forbes, 1964). Furthermore, just as petroleum was used in
antiquity, natural gas was also known in antiquity. However, the
use of petroleum has been relatively well documented because of
its use in warfare and as mastic for walls and roads (Henry, 1873;
Abraham, 1945; Forbes, 1958a, 1958b; James and Thorpe, 1994).
Natural gas was first discovered in the United States in Fredonia,
New York, in 1821. In the years following this discovery, natural gas
usage was restricted to its environs because the technology for storage and transportation (bamboo pipes notwithstanding) was not well
developed and, at that time, natural gas had little or no commercial
value. In fact, in the 1930s when petroleum refining was commencing — an expansion in technology that is still continuing — natural
gas was not considered a major fuel source and was only produced
as an unwanted by-product of crude oil production and/or refining.
It is only during the last several decades that natural gas has been
seen as a major contributor to energy production.