Methane
The primary component of natural gas (CH4). Methane is a potent greenhouse gas — about 80x more warming than CO2 over a 20-year period. Methane leakage from natural gas infrastructure is a significant climate concern.
Why It Matters
Methane leakage rates determine whether natural gas is truly "cleaner" than coal. If more than about 3% of natural gas leaks during production and delivery, the climate benefit over coal largely disappears.
Related Topics
Related Terms
LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)
Natural gas cooled to -162°C (-260°F), at which point it becomes a liquid occupying 1/600th of its gaseous volume. LNG is shipped in specialized tankers to markets that pipelines cannot reach.
Shale Gas
Natural gas trapped within fine-grained sedimentary rock (shale) formations. Previously considered unrecoverable, shale gas became accessible through hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling — the "shale revolution" of the 2000s-2010s.