Natural gas isn't "mined" in the traditional sense like coal or metals; instead, it's extracted from the earth. Here's how it's done:
Gas Extraction Process
The primary method of extracting natural gas involves drilling into subsurface rock formations that contain gas deposits. The process can be broken down into the following steps:
- Exploration: Geologists identify potential areas where natural gas might be trapped.
- Drilling: A well is drilled deep into the earth to reach the gas-bearing rock formation.
- Extraction: Once the well is in place, the natural gas flows up to the surface through the wellbore.
- Processing: The raw gas is treated to remove impurities like water and other hydrocarbons.
- Transportation: The processed gas is then transported via pipelines to consumers.
Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking)
Advances in hydraulic fracturing technologies, commonly known as fracking, have significantly expanded access to natural gas, especially from shale formations. Here's how fracking works:
- Injection: A high-pressure mixture of water, sand, and chemicals is injected into the wellbore.
- Fracturing: The pressure causes the surrounding shale rock to fracture or crack.
- Gas Release: The fractures allow trapped natural gas to flow more easily towards the well.
- Collection: The gas is then collected and brought to the surface.
Fracking enables the extraction of large volumes of natural gas that were previously inaccessible.
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Conventional Drilling | Drilling directly into porous rock formations where gas can flow easily. |
| Hydraulic Fracturing | Creating fractures in rock with high pressure to release trapped gas. |
