Natural gas is the cleanest and least polluting of all fossil fuels. It weighs less than air and dissipates rapidly in the atmosphere. This makes it a very safe form of energy.

Natural gas is formed in a way similar to that of petroleum. This kind of gases arises from a mix of gaseous hydrocarbons of fossil origin under ground in so-called gas pockets. These are geological structures covered by impermeable layers that prevent the gas from escaping.

From nature to the consumer
Once extracted, natural gas is consumed just as it is produced by nature. Hence, its name.

It arrives at consumers' homes through underground pipes and is used to fuel stoves, radiators and water heaters. It is a continuous-supply source of energy that does not need any kind of storage. All you have to do is open a valve and let the gas flow.

Natural gas can also be used to run washing machines, dish washers, dryers, heaters and air conditioning units. It is also commonly used in commercial sites and the chemical and steel industries, as well as in ceramics tiles, paper ills and food production, for instance.

Where does Spain get its natural gas?
In Spain there are more than 35,000 kilometers of pipes for transporting and supplying natural gas to homes. The main source is Algeria, which supplies 62% of the natural gas consumed in Spain. Another 14% comes from Norway, 9% from Libya and the rest from other countries. In Europa, the greatest reserves are found in the North Sea and the Netherlands.

Natural gas is shipped into the Iberian peninsula through five entry points. Two of them are the gas ducts that join El Lacq andCalahorra, and the Magreb with Europe. The other three are gas plants in Barcelona, Huelva and Cartagena, ports at which methane ships arrive.

Reserves of natural gas are abundant in all the world's continents. The total is estimated at 142 billion cubic meters, or 94% of the world's petroleum resources.

Did you know that...?
-Natural gas represents 22 % of total world energy consumption, at a level similar to that of energy from coal and surpassed only by that of oil. 
-It far surpasses other primary sources of energy such as electric energy produced by hydraulic or nuclear facilities. 
-Currently, more than 2,350 million cubic meters of natural gas are consumed in the world each year. Almost a third of that is consumed in the United States.
- The first deposits of natural gas were discovered in 2000 BC in what is now Iran. So the Persians were the first to benefit from this source of energy.