How natural gas is produced
Natural gas is about 95% methane, and it has to be stripped of water and other gases before anyone can burn it.
- stations
- 4
- things downstream
- 528
The short version
Natural gas forms when buried marine microorganisms are cooked for millions of years without oxygen. Wells tap the gas in rock, and it flows up the pipe under its own pressure. Plants then strip out water, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide and heavier hydrocarbons, leaving methane for pipelines or for liquefying into LNG.
-
Drill into the gas pocket
A well is bored into rock that traps gas, or into an oil field where gas is dissolved in the oil. Gas from oil wells is called associated gas.
-
Let pressure carry it up
Reservoir pressure pushes the gas to the surface. In some formations, pressurized liquid is pumped in to open up the rock, so that the gas flows more easily.
-
Strip out the impurities
Raw gas almost always has to be processed before it is burned. Water, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and sometimes helium and nitrogen are removed, and heavier hydrocarbons such as ethane, propane and butane are separated and sold separately.
-
Send it down the pipe
Cleaned gas goes into pipelines. For shipping across oceans, it can be cooled into liquefied natural gas, which takes far less space.
Worth repeating
- The hydrogen sulfide removed from natural gas may be converted into pure sulfur.
- The world's largest gas field is South Pars/North Dome, offshore and shared between Iran and Qatar.
Where it goes next
Natural gas feeds 15 lines directly and reaches 528 things in total.
DeodorantAmmoniaHydrogenEthylenePTFEManganeseMethanolCarbon dioxidePlasticPropaneLiquefied natural gasLab-grown diamondPentaneCarbon monoxidePolyvinylpyrrolidone
Further down the line
FertilizerLEDBaking sodaHair dyeAcetaminophenVitamin C tabletGasolineDiesel fuelJet fuelWindow glassMargarineOrbital rocketMotor oilShampooRazor bladeNonstick panRaincoatDigital thermometerLithium-ion cellAA batteryBiodieselAspirinDecaf coffeeColaSparkling waterBeerPopping candySodaRoot beerEnergy drinkTonic waterLight beerNon-alcoholic beerDuct tapeSolar panelRefrigeratorWashing machineVacuum cleanerMarker penHighlighterFountain penPrinter tonerToasterRoller skatesTennis racketBowling ballDiceYo-yoBoard gameJigsaw puzzleTrading cardsDesk globeSnow globeDie-cast toy carTamponWet wipesAsthma inhalerProsthetic legWheelchairLight switchPower outletSmoke detectorSeat beltBackpackEyeglass frameMicrophoneE-readerUmbrellaAir freshenerHairsprayFoam cupLaundry detergentGlass bottleSmartphone cover glassGlass marbleInstant noodlesStained glassNail polishLipstickHearing aidLEGO brick3D printer filamentLaptopTelevisionComputer keyboardComputer mouseHeadphonesRubik's CubeBallpoint penSnowboardAction figureHarmonicaHard-shell suitcaseHigh heelsWireless earbudsPhone chargerUSB cableVideo game consoleWi-Fi routerInkjet printerGraphics cardRemote controlElectric toothbrushToothbrushMascaraCamera droneTireAirbagAcoustic guitarViolinBasketballBike helmetHook-and-loop fastenerDishwasherOffice chairVolleyballKiteFashion dollUkuleleDrumstickEyeshadowDental flossAluminum window frameUnderwearLeggingsSwimsuitDown jacketLeather handbagHiking bootsFlagSocksCarpetZipperRopePaintLCD screenSunglassesWind turbineSatelliteAirlinerBicycleGolf clubFishing rodBrake padCanoeLED light bulbPinball machineHard drivePretzelFrozen pizzaBagelCrackersCake mixFire extinguisherRumAir conditionerLaminate flooringCarCar engineMotorcycleLocomotiveJet engineSunscreenPencilChewing gumTurbine bladeCrayonCandleWine corkMatchIncandescent light bulbDrill bitMirrorSkyscraperWindshieldDouble-glazed windowOptical fiberBath towelToothpasteHip implantPlastic bagFrozen peasBubble wrapPlastic wrapZip-top bagPaper cupVacuum flaskSkiFlying discSanitary padPower cableCar batteryFlip-flopsDisposable diaperCredit cardGarden hoseAmerican footballYoga matInflatable pool toyChain-link fencePVC pipeVinyl flooringVinyl recordPlastic bottleDrum kitBottled waterSurfboardCompact discSyringeNitrile gloveGolf ballEraserRubber bootsPerfumemRNA vaccineVanilla extractVinegarGinSuper gluePort wineInsect repellentMouthwashBanknoteElectric car batterySmartphoneSmartwatchDigital cameraElectric motorElectrical transformerMechanical wristwatchRebarSteel I-beamRailroad railScissorsSteel pipePadlockBall bearingContainer shipShipping containerElevatorSkateboardOak wine barrelIce skatesDumbbellSaxophoneBarbed wireHammerWrenchGas cylinderSpark plugSubway trainLeather beltLoudspeakerCondomContact lensPressure cookerBlenderFoundation makeupSoapCough syrupGelatin capsuleIbuprofenBilliard ballCast iron panPrinted circuit boardAsphalt shingleSailboatSafety pinFaucetHeart stentOLED screenCamera sensorMicrowave ovenEyeglass lensGlass jarWater heaterCeramic floor tileNeon signPenicillinInsulinKetchupWineChampagneWhiskeyVodkaTequilaSakeHard ciderHot sauceKombuchaBourbonScotch whiskyCognacMezcalMeadProseccoAdhesive bandagePacemakerSoccer ballHardwood flooringSofaSneakerMattressElectric carJeansElectric kettleWallpaperWooden chairStainless steel water bottleCeiling fanDartboardCoil springWheelbarrowSuspension bridge cableNailFiberglass insulationMicrowave popcornPianoTennis ballBaseballPaper strawPaper bagPizza boxWooden doorClear adhesive tapeStapleCricket batChess setCelloKitchen spongeCotton swabDress shirtTailored suitLeather walletCamera lensCardboard boxToilet paperBookEnvelopeSticky notesPlaying cardsLeather shoeBaseball capTin canElectric guitarTrumpetChopsticksFelt hatBaseball batBreadTortillaCroissantDonutSandwich cookieChicken nuggetsBaguetteSourdough breadFish sticksModeling compoundLicoriceTreadmillMicrochipMemory chipSolar cellSaw bladeShoelaceMayonnaisePeanut butterPotato chipsFrozen french friesCanned tunaBaby formulaOat milkWooden spoonFacial tissueSilk tieLeather glovesCotton candyPillowCandy caneHoodieCurtainsButtonTeddy bearBleachDish soapAluminum ladderAluminum canCandy-coated chocolateNewspaperT-shirtIce creamWhite chocolateCaramelMustardJarred salsaPicklesDoor hingeShovelWire ropeScrewPaperclipSewing needleClothespinSlinkyGuitar stringBoltSteel chainKitchen knifeStainless steel forkSolid-state driveSauerkrautJamHazelnut spreadFireworksCorn flakesCanned meatCondensed milkCoconut milkCanned soupPlastic strawN95 maskDrywallEgg cartonWool blanketWool sweaterToffee
Keep walking
Sources
Cite this page: "How natural gas is produced." Assembly Line, 2026-11-03. https://assemblyline.org/make/natural-gas