Natural gas

What is natural gas?

Natural gas, sometimes referred to as methane, is a colourless and odourless fossil fuel. It is an efficient form of energy that burns 'cleaner', releasing fewer pollutants than oil or coal.

Natural gas is generally found deep underground near coal seams or oil fields. It consists mainly of methane, a hydrocarbon that is lighter than air. It is formed in a similar process to oil. There is even a process that can be used to change natural gas into oil. Other compounds of natural gas include ethane, propane, and butane.

Exploration over the last 20 years has led to the discovery of large amounts of natural gas in Australia.

It has been found both onshore, particularly in South Australia and Western Australia, deep under the Bass Strait separating Victoria and Tasmania, and under the North West Shelf off the coast of Western Australia. As it is plentiful and requires little processing, natural gas is relatively cheap in Australia compared to places like the United States of America.

Natural gas is becoming an increasingly popular form of energy used in homes and industry.

Other forms of gas can also be used as energy sources, including Liquefied natural gas (LNG), Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and Town gas.