WHERE DOES GAS COME FROM?
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I found a great article on the net at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gas
and previously an article from lsa.colorado.edu (link now gone)
from Prehistoric Primitive use of Natural Gas, to Modern usage of Non-renewable to Renewable Natural Gas. The article said that the world has a 200 year supply of natural gas, but the USA only has a 50 year supply. Time to consider conservation? Alternatives?
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Well, were running out of everything, time to consider moving to another planet, perhaps Mars? If there might still be water underneath the surface (till we run out of everything there, then move on to the next. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are all gaseous planets, so we can't live there, perhaps just float around in space suits, they have no apparent Ground, just Gas, and besides that, the gravity would squish you like a bug, perhaps Pluto (too cold), because Mercury and Venus are too close to the Sun, and way too hot, even Mars is too cold, but we might be able to live there for a while). Perhaps we could import gas from Jupiter, but that would be kind of expensive, and too dangerous, not at all realistic.
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I saw in an old National Geographic magazine, photos from China. A man had a pig pen right next to his house, and above the pig pen installed a large upside down funnel, to capture all the pig gas, which was piped into the house for heating or cooking. Primitive, yet resourceful and brilliant. At the same time, coming out of Orange County CA going North on the 15 freeway, there are some Cow Farms just going to waste there, they could really harness the gas, and transform it into energy.
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In the late 1990's I was living in Orange County CA. Driving on the 5 Freeway, passing thru Lake Forest and El Toro, it smelled Terrible. I got home, turned on the TV and heard the News (live update on the scene report, from a reasonable distance), that some workers digging next to the freeway had struck a pipe, the area was sealed off (except the freeway), and they were "BRINGING IN EXPERTS TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS A GAS MAIN, OR A SEWER PIPE". That's got to tell you something right there; and, that was my main point, but there's more, read on.
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They say that Natural Gas has no odor, that they have to add a "Rotten Egg" smell to it at the Gas Factory (THAT BIG BUILDING ON THE OTHER END OF TOWN), so that it can be detected. I don't eat eggs myself. Even when I was not a vegetarian vegan (which I am now, using no animal products) I never did like eggs. I wonder where the gas factory gets the rotten egg smell? Perhaps from leftover eggs which didn't sell at the supermarket, or maybe they have their own Chicken Farm? One way or the other, with all that gas, they must go thru allot of eggs.
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Update 2014:
https://www.columbiagasva.com/about-natural-gas
Why does it smell like rotten eggs?
quote: 'We add to our gas lines, a chemical called Mercaptan, which causes the distinct "rotten eggs" smell. This is added so that you can better recognize a gas leak' :endquote
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/what-exactly-is-mercaptan-8462250.html
What exactly is Mercaptan?
quote: 'It is often added to natural gas, which is colourless and odourless, to make it easier to detect.
The gas is an organic substance, made of carbon, hydrogen and sulphur, and is found naturally in living organisms, including the human body where it is a waste product of normal metabolism. It is one of the chemicals responsible for the foul smell of bad breath and flatulence' :endquote
My grandfather studied both Chemistry and Electrical Engineering at UC Berkeley, and he said that Flame Broiled cooked foods should be avoided. Indirect, that is OK, like a pot or pan on the stove, but direct flame to the food, that is unhealthy.
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Speaking of Natural Gas, Beans (legumes) and Garlic tend to give me some gas. Some types of beans more than others (depending on what blood type you are, and it helps to wash off canned beans, and if you soak dry beans, make certain you soak them overnight, a couple of hours may plump them up, but overnight is required to prevent excessive gas. Of course, if you are stricken with gas, my advice is to light a candle.
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Gas is lighter than air (as demonstrated in the Chinese Pig Funnel theory above). So I have noticed that after producing some gas, if I light a match, and then hold it up towards the ceiling, the flame gets much bigger for a few seconds, burning off the gas. Thus it is better to burn your candle up high (in a safe, secure location, not near curtains or anything flammable, with a plate beneath it, and is such a situation, that if it were unattended and burned all the way down, or the flame got larger, it would not cause any damage).
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I remember being in a public restroom years ago, and up in the corner near the ceiling, there was a pilot light. And that restroom, even with lots of activity, did not smell nearly as bad as some other places.
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As a kid, after Church one time, someone got up on a ladder with a stick which held a candle, and stuck the stick up as high as possible to burn off the gas. And when a Priest came to bless the house, he went around with a Candle held high.
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Here in Las Vegas, the famous Mirage Hotel Casino has a large VOLCANO which burns off very large amounts of gas. What with the USA only having a 50 years supply, I question this practice. But it is a nice Volcano, if you have never seen it, do stop by. It usually runs every 15 minutes when its busy (must be one heck of a gas bill, and they complain of the electric bill). Meanwhile, I noticed a few times over the past few years, a rather strong smell across the street from the MGM Grand (in the right lane, Eastbound on Tropicana). Perhaps they could use another Volcano? One way or the other they should fix that leak. And the Lady Luck in Downtown Las Vegas, could use some candles all around the casino (or perhaps pilot flames up near the ceiling, there has to be some sort of solution, Please. The Lady Luck could be a nice place. We need to encourage tourism Downtown).
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BACK TO THE GAS FACTORY
Well, enough of this sidetrack, back to Natural Gas which they add "rotten egg" smell to at the Gas Factory. The point is, its all Lighter than Air, Can't be Seen, and in the case of Natural Gas which is piped into homes, it Can Not be Smelled except for the "rotten egg" additive.
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As per that same article at
http://lsa.colorado.edu/summarystreet/texts/naturalgas.htm (now gone)
Natural Gas is a very good thing. It is using Scientific Advantage, and it is low cost. I am all for it. However, I myself prefer an all electric kitchen. But I think its good that we use it, may as well, else it will eventually just drift up in the atmosphere, wasting away in the sky. Harness it, use it, burn it.
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I remember many years ago, living in the Los Angeles area, that the Fairfax District (near Beverly Hills, CBS, and Farmers Market, which is a nice neighborhood), had an issue with Gas Buildup, and Flames on the Sidewalks.
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WHERE DOES GAS COME FROM?
After getting some annoying calls and an in person (pig) from the Gas Company over my late bill (many years ago), I called the Southern California Gas Company and asked......
WHERE DOES GAS COME FROM?
The Customer Service Rep responded with.....
"THE GROUND"
after which, they add a "rotten egg" like smell at the Gas Factory.
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Do check out this great article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gas
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SCIENCE IS PROGRESS