Natural gas is used around the world in a surprising number of ways. Although it is widely seen as a cooking and heating fuel in most Canadian households, natural gas has many other energy and raw material uses.
For instance, natural gas is used in a wide variety of manufacturing processes. According to the National Energy Board, 55% of the 2017 consumption of natural gas in Ontario was by industry. Natural gas is used as both a raw material and as a source of heat.
For example, says Geology.com, natural gas is an ingredient used to make fertilizer, antifreeze, plastics, pharmaceuticals and fabrics. It is also used to manufacture a wide range of chemicals such as ammonia, butane, ethane, propane and acetic acid. Many manufacturing processes require heat to melt, dry, bake, or glaze a product. Natural gas is used as a heat source in making glass, steel, cement, bricks, ceramics, tile, paper, and food products. Natural gas is also used at many industrial facilities for incineration.
In addition, natural gas as a feedstock is commonly found as a building block for methanol, which in turn has many industrial applications. In this process, natural gas is converted to synthesis gas, which is a mixture of hydrogen and carbon oxides. The gas is then exposed to a catalyst that causes oxidization of the natural gas when brought into contact with steam. This synthesis gas, once formed, may be used to produce methanol, which in turn is used to produce such substances as formaldehyde. Methanol may also be used as a fuel source in fuel cells.
Natural gas also has enormous potential for increased use as a vehicle fuel. The main barriers to this have been the short range of natural gas-powered vehicles, limited refueling options, and slow refueling times. However, over the past few years new stations have popped up in convenient locations.
In 2018, energy giant Enbridge opened three new natural gas filling stations along Highway 401 in Ontario. The Ontario natural gas stations – in London, Windsor and Napanee – are part of a planned network along the nation’s busiest highway.
“Our vision is that these stations will become part of a network that will allow heavy duty truck fleets to confidently travel along the highway ensuring they have sufficient compressed natural gas fuel,” said Mike Shannon, vice-president of storage and transmission for Enbridge Gas.
Natural gas at the pumps is stored at high-pressure and used instead of gasoline or diesel to power vehicles made to run on the fuel. Natural gas is the cleanest-burning fossil fuel, producing fewer carbon dioxide emissions than diesel or gasoline.
Natural gas has innumerable uses in industry, and new applications are being developed every day. As a clean, efficient source of energy and fuel natural gas is a key component of Ontario’s energy industry.
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