Natural gas
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A naturally occurring hydrocarbon gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, but commonly including varying amounts of other higher alkanes, and sometimes a small percentage of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide, or helium.
A mixture of the low-molecular-weight paraffin series hydrocarbons methane, ethane, propane, and butane, with small amounts of higher hydrocarbons; also frequently containing small or large proportions of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide, and occasionally small proportions of helium. Methane is almost always the major constituent. Natural gas accompanying petroleum always contains appreciable quantities of ethane, propane, butane, as well as some pentane and hexane vapors, and is known as wet gas. Dry gas contains little of these higher hydrocarbons. The exact composition of natural gas varies with locality. The heating value of natural gas is usually over 1,000 Btu/ft3 unless nitrogen or carbon dioxide are important components of the gas.
A mixture of the low-molecular-weight paraffin series hydrocarbons methane, ethane, propane, and butane, with small amounts of higher hydrocarbons; also frequently containing small or large proportions of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide, and occasionally small proportions of helium. Methane is almost always the major constituent. Natural gas accompanying petroleum always contains appreciable quantities of ethane, propane, butane, as well as some pentane and hexane vapors, and is known as wet gas. Dry gas contains little of these higher hydrocarbons. The exact composition of natural gas varies with locality. The heating value of natural gas is usually over 1,000 Btu/ft3 unless nitrogen or carbon dioxide are important components of the gas.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
49996
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:49996:3
Synonyms of Natural gas
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Natural gas
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References for Natural gas
Reference List:
Localities for Natural gas
Showing 2 localities.
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The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
China | |
| Gao et al. (2026) |
Kazakhstan | |
| Box et al. (2012) |
