Alberta supplies about 80 percent
of Canada’s natural gas consumption needs. Natural
gas is found in sedimentary rock formations, created
from the accumulation of sand, slit, and
decomposition of plants and animals. Natural Gas is
comprised of hydrogen and carbon, found by itself or
in association with oil. It is both colourless and
odourless, made up of ethane, propane, and butane.
Impurities may be mixed with the gas when it comes
out of the ground, and the gas must be processed
before it is ready to be used. Natural gas is
combustible and burns more cleanly
than some other
energy sources, which helps reinforce its position
as one of the most highly used energy sources.
Natural gas can be measured in a variety of ways,
although the most common unit of measurement is the Gigajoule (GJ), which signifies one billion joules,
the metric measure for heat or energy. Natural gas
is used in residential, commercial, and industrial
applications such as heating and plastics
manufacturing.
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