Natural Gas: Disadvantages and Advantages From a Climate Perspective

As the world grapples with the urgent need to transition from fossil fuels, the pros and cons of natural gas have emerged as a complex and often misunderstood issue in the climate change equation.

While some tout natural gas as a cleaner “transition fuel” to a renewable future, it also carries significant environmental baggage that complicates its role in a sustainable energy landscape. The future of natural gas is a topic of debate, with advocates and critics alike making impassioned cases.

Where Does Natural Gas Come From?

Natural gas, the colorless and odorless fossil fuel that heats homes, powers appliances and generates electricity, has a fascinating origin story that stretches back millions of years.

The story begins in the primordial swamps and marshes of prehistoric eras, where the remains of dead plants and animals were slowly buried under layers of sediment on the Earth’s surface and ocean floors. Over time, the immense heat and pressure of the Earth’s crust transformed these organic materials into hydrocarbons — the chemical building blocks of natural gas and other fossil fuels.

As these hydrocarbon-rich deposits were pushed deeper underground, the emitted gas became trapped in porous rock formations or impermeable geological “traps.” It’s these reservoirs, located thousands of feet below the Earth’s surface, that energy companies today target through advanced drilling and extraction techniques to access this natural gas.

Geological Sources

Natural gas mainly consists of methane, a hydrocarbon, and can be found in a variety of geological formations. Common sources include:

• Sandstone and limestone reservoirs: These formations, also known as conventional reservoirs, store natural gas in more porous rock layers. The gas migrates upward until it becomes trapped by an impermeable layer, creating reservoirs that can be accessed easily.
• Coal seams: This source of natural gas, called “coalbed methane,” is often found alongside coal deposits. It can be extracted from seams, which are commonly targeted in regions rich in coal deposits.
• Shale formations: Shale gas, one of the most abundant sources of natural gas, is trapped within dense sediment rock layers called shale formations. Specialized techniques like hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, are used to extract gas from these unconventional sources.
• Associated natural gas: Fossil fuel is called associated natural gas when it is found alongside crude oil deposits.

Natural gas can also be sourced from methane hydrates, crystalline structures of methane and water found in deep-sea sediments and Arctic permafrost. While extensive, these deposits are not widely used due to extraction challenges.

As the world works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, natural gas often sparks debate. For some, it represents a cleaner bridge fuel, lowering emissions compared to coal. For others, the increase in carbon emissions from the extraction process contributes to the large-scale clearing of forestland.

Natural Gas: A Climate Advantage?

Russia has the largest natural gas reserves, followed by Iran, Qatar and the U.S. Although the U.S. doesn’t have the most extensive resources, it is the world’s biggest producer of this fossil fuel.

Some of North America’s largest natural gas deposits are located in formations like the Marcellus and Utica Shales. The Marcellus Shale spans several northeastern U.S. states, with its vast resources transforming the region into a significant natural gas hub. These formations have an estimated capacity to produce trillions of cubic feet of natural gas, a key factor in the push toward energy independence.

Unlocking this domestic bounty, however, continues to be debated.

The Upsides of Natural Gas Production

Natural gas has been championed as a “cleaner” fossil fuel compared to coal and oil for years. Here’s why:

Lower Carbon Emissions

The energy generation sector accounts for about 60% of all global greenhouse gases. One of the primary climate-based arguments for natural gas is its comparatively lower carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

Natural gas produces about 50%-60% less CO₂ than coal for the same amount of electricity generation, making it an attractive option for reducing greenhouse gases.

Potential Bridge to Renewables

Many experts view natural gas as a “bridge fuel” that can help ease the transition to renewable energy sources. Since it can be scaled up quickly and complements wind and solar energy — which are variable — natural gas can provide a steady power supply until renewable sources are widely available.

Flexibility for the Grid

Unlike inflexible coal-fired power plants, natural gas operations can ramp production up and down quickly to meet fluctuating electricity demand. This makes natural gas an ideal complement to the growing renewable energy sector.

This stability is critical for grids that rely on renewable power, as natural gas can quickly supplement power when solar or wind output drops. Its flexible output helps maintain grid reliability, which is essential for energy-dependent societies.

Support for Industrial and Petrochemical Sectors

Natural gas is indispensable in the petrochemical industry,  providing feedstock for products like plastics, fertilizers and pharmaceuticals. While these sectors face their own sustainability challenges, natural gas offers an efficient and cost-effective power source, making its role in manufacturing highly valuable.

Cleaner Air in Urban Areas

Switching from coal or oil to natural gas in power plants or heating systems can reduce harmful pollutants, like sulfur dioxide and particulate matter, that contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular health issues. This transition to natural gas in urban areas can significantly improve air quality and public health.

Disadvantages of Natural Gas Production

Despite its “cleaner” reputation, natural gas poses several risks to climate goals:

Methane Emissions

Methane, the primary component of natural gas, is a potent greenhouse gas, with over 80 times the warming power of CO₂ over a 20-year period. Leaks can occur during production, transportation and storage, releasing methane directly into the atmosphere. Even minor leaks significantly negate much of the climate benefit of burning natural gas instead of coal.

Environmental Impact

Extracting natural gas through fracking involves injecting high-pressure fluid into shale rocks to release gas. This process can contaminate groundwater, induce small earthquakes and create long-lasting environmental disturbances.

Additionally, fracking requires vast amounts of water. It can disrupt local water tables and ecosystems in drought-prone areas, adding to its environmental impact.

Slows Transition to Renewable Energy

Natural gas is often marketed as a bridge to a renewable future. However, investments in natural gas infrastructure can delay the shift by causing a dependency on fossil fuels.

Additionally, the long life span of natural gas pipelines, storage facilities and power plants means that investments in new projects today could “lock in” fossil fuel dependence for decades. This diverts capital and attention away from the rapid deployment of truly clean, renewable, zero-carbon energy sources needed to meet climate goals.

Other than this, gasoline prices are predicted to maintain an all-time high for the next five years. This could be due to rising costs of crude oil. More resources are needed to maintain living standards, meaning there’s less to invest in renewable energy.

Climate Impact of Increased Consumption

The rise in natural gas consumption is a double-edged sword. While it may reduce coal use, increased production and usage contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating climate change.

Public Health Impacts

The fossil fuel industry’s history of prioritizing profits over public welfare remains a major concern. The extraction of natural gas, mainly through controversial techniques such as particulate fracking, has been linked to a range of public health issues in nearby communities. These include water contamination, air pollution and even increased seismic activity.

The Future of Natural Gas

The future of natural gas hinges on balancing climate goals with energy needs. Here’s what to expect in the coming years:

• Push for methane regulation: To counter methane emissions, regulators in many countries are focusing on stricter emission controls and improved leak detection technologies. These efforts aim to limit the climate impact of natural gas without stifling its role in energy markets.
• Advancements in carbon capture and storage (CCS): Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is being explored as a way to mitigate CO₂ emissions from natural gas power plants. If viable, CCS could reduce emissions, although the technology is still expensive and under development.
• Shift toward renewable natural gas (RNG): Renewable natural gas, produced from organic waste, is emerging as an alternative that could reduce dependence on fossil-fuel-derived natural gas. Although RNG is still in the early stages, it has the potential to contribute to a lower-carbon energy mix.

On the flip side, there’s growing interest in exploring alternatives like green hydrogen and biofuels, which could offer similar benefits as natural gas but without the carbon and methane emissions.

Policymakers are also increasingly pressured to prioritize renewable energy investments over new natural gas infrastructure. Natural gas may increasingly face competition to maintain its foothold as these processes advance.

The Bottom Line

Natural gas’s future hinges on complex factors like tech advances, changing policies, and consumer choices. The industry must drastically improve its environmental impact to survive in a climate-conscious world. Aligning with public interests is crucial for natural gas to maintain relevance.

References

• U.S. Energy Information Administration: Natural gas explained
• Student Energy: What is Gas Hydrates?
  
• Statista: Leading countries by proved natural gas reserves worldwide in 1960 and 2023
• GASVESSEL: Natural gas vs. Coal – a positive impact on the environment
• The Guardian: Fracking explained: why the fossil fuel extraction process became a US election issue