Natural Gas - Alternative or Not?
When I think of "Natural Gas" I think of the old space heaters I stood by as a child. I lived in Arizona as a child and we had central heat but when we visited my grandma's house in Oklahoma we discovered cold weather and space heaters. I remember standing with my hands behind my back absorbing the wonderful power of heat. In southern Oklahoma the temperature could get down in to the 20s and when it did you certainlyneeded a great source of heart and gas did the job.
Through the years I have always liked gas space heaters over central heat. Central heat always sprayed dustin every direction and my sinus always get clogged.
Today the concept of using gas as an alternative fuel for cars and other uses in the home is a little scary to me. I remember thinking about breathing gas and dying in my sleep. I know gas is safe but there is still thedanger factor involved with the highly flammable product.
Last night I began thinking about alternative fuels and fuels which produce low carbon emission and gas sprang to mind. I looked at my wife and ask her what she knew about gas production and were did itcome from. I know I am admitting my ignorance but I really wasn't absolutely sure how natural gas is produced.The fact is we both have college degrees and are experts in our field of study but when it came to the subject of alternative fuels we both stood in ignorance.
My thought about the subject involved drilling and danger and I knew the oil companies were involved butthat was as far as my knowledge went
I started doing research on the subject and found out I knew more than I thought. The oil companies are involvedand it does take drilling and it does burn safer, cleaner and is purchased at lower prices than basic oil products.So, I feel a lot better about discussing gas as an alternative fuel.
After all that, what I want to look at is where does gas come from and can we really use it as an alternativesource of fuel for our automobiles.
What Is Natural Gas?
Chevron give us this definition and explanation concerning gas. "Dismissed as a useless byproduct of crude oil production until the second half of the 20th century, natural gas now provides 23 percent of all energy consumed in the world. And the demand is growing.
An economical, environmentally friendly and efficient energy source, natural gas is the cleanest-burning conventional fuel, producing lower levels of greenhouse gas emissions than do heavier hydrocarbon fuels, such as coal and oil. Historically, natural gas also has been one of the most economical energy sources. Gas fuels electric power generators, heats buildings and is used as a raw material in many consumer products, such as those made of traditional plastics.
The International Energy Agency predicts that the demand for natural gas will grow by more than 67 percent through 2030. Chevron is well positioned to meet this escalating demand." To read the complete article click on the link. Natural Gas - Chevron
Is Gas a Viable Alternative
After reading about vapor gas as an alternative fuel I am convinced it might be one solutionto the problem of green house gases and carbon footprint reductions. According to an articlein Insight on the News, May 26, 1997 | by Eric Petersin which states, "The best part about natural gas, propane and ethanol, though, is that they work in existing engines and vehicle platforms with few modifications.
The natural-gas version of the Ford Crown Victoria uses the same 4.6 liter V-8 engine as its gasoline-burning counterpart. (The natural-gas model requires pressurized fuel cylinders in the trunk.) But autos running on natural gas have less range.Finding a place to refill the tanks can be difficult for drivers outside of urban areas."
According to this article and others I read it seems logical for oil companies to put more moneyinto gas exploration and drilling.
Will Gas run out?
The fact remains gas is a fossil fuel, even though it burns cleaner than petroleum the problem of emissionsstill exist. One question I ask myself is, will it run out? According to an article in Time written by, Mark Hertsgaard Monday, Nov. 08, 1999, "The earth's underground stores of petroleum are not quite as ample as those of coal or natural gas, but there is enough to supply humanity for many decades, even with rising population and living standards.
Crippling shortages may still occur, of course. But they will arise from skulduggery or incompetence on the part of corporations or governments, not from any physical scarcity.Read more: Will Gas Run Out?
Personal Opinion
As far as I am concerned it might work in cars, homes and other areas but it seems as if we are onlyputting a band-aid on a serious wound. It would be better to put our money into real alternatives such aselectric cars and hydro power. On the other hand if we can reduce carbon emission, if only a little, it wouldbe better than gas burning vehicles. I guess the future of transportation will turn out to be a never ending story. I wonder were it will end.
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