Natural gas is a fossil fuel produced from plant and animal material that was buried beneath layers of rock and soil millions of years ago. Over time, heat and pressure combined to change this material into the fossil fuel we know as natural gas.
Once processed, natural gas predominantly consists of methane – the simplest hydrocarbon. Methane is lighter than air and will easily disperse. Natural gas is odourless. To make leaks detectable, an odourant is added during processing.
Australia is a natural gas rich country. Natural gas accounts for over 18 per cent of Australia’s total energy market. In industry, natural gas is used for heating and air-conditioning, manufacturing, processing and fuelling power stations. It’s mainly used in homes for space heating, water heating and cooking.