Natural gas. Its properties, extraction and chemical composition. Composition, production and use of natural gas Where natural gas is produced

The most profitable, environmentally friendly and important fuel today is natural gas. What is this substance? Where does the origin originate from and what are its features? It is important and necessary to know this, because how long this raw material will last is a global issue for all countries of the world. We will talk about these issues in this article.

Natural gas: general characteristics of the composition

This compound is customary in chemistry to denote methane having the formula CH 4. However, this is not entirely true. After all, natural gas is a mineral product of our Earth. And it cannot be absolutely pure. It is a chemical mixture of many gaseous products. Among them, you can clearly identify the organic component and inorganic.

The former include such low molecular weight gases as:

• methane;
• butane;
• propane.

To the second, more varied products:

• impurities of hydrogen sulfide;
• hydrogen;
• helium;
• nitrogen;
• carbon dioxide.

Therefore, the properties of this substance cannot be determined by only one dominant alkane in the composition. They are also strongly influenced by impurities. However, the origin natural gas people who work with him are well aware. Therefore, cleaning methods for use have long been developed and introduced into widespread use.

Physical properties

It doesn't take many steps to describe the properties of a given compound.

1. The density varies depending on the state of aggregation, since this product can liquefy with increasing pressure.
2. At 6500 0 С it is capable of spontaneous combustion, therefore it is an explosive substance.
3. When mixed with air in certain proportions, it also has an explosive character.
4. Almost twice lighter than air, therefore, it is capable of volatilizing into the upper atmosphere.

There is also a special property due to which natural gas deposits are much wider than they could be. He is able to be in a solid state in the composition of the earth's crust. We will discuss this in more detail below.

Formation or origin of natural gas

Several basic options can be identified in which the formation and accumulation of the substance in question occurs.

1. The process of decomposition of living beings as a result of the end of their life. This is evidenced by the biogenic theory. This path is calculated in thousands and millions of years, but as a result, it led to the accumulation huge amount natural gas on our planet.
2. Formation of gas hydrate complexes, concentrated mainly underground. This process became possible only thanks to a selection of certain ones.However, in the 20th century it was proved that such gas deposits exist and their quantities are simply amazing in their scale. Even permafrost keeps natural gas in a solid state in its depths.
3. The origin of natural gas from Space as a result of a number of specific reactions. It has now been proven that almost all the planets of our system have this gas in their composition.

No matter how it was formed, one thing remains unchanged: its reserves are huge, but exhaustible.

Major world deposits

The world's natural gas reserves are estimated at 200.363 trillion cubic meters. This data is for the period up to 2013. Of course, the figure is striking in its grandeur. But do not forget about his expenses, which are also considerable. About 3646 billion cubic meters of this unique natural raw material are extracted annually all over the world.

The main natural gas deposits in the world are located in the following countries:

• Russia;
• Iran;
• Qatar;
• Turkmenistan;
• Saudi Arabia;
• United Arab Emirates;
• Venezuela and others.

Only the largest countries where this mineral can be mined are indicated here. In general, there are places where this product is concentrated in 101 countries of the world.

If we call the areas of deposits themselves, then the following are considered the largest of them:

• Hassi Rmel (Algeria);
• Shah Deniz (Azerbaijan);
• Groningen (Netherlands);
• Dhirubhai (India);
• North / South Pars (Qatar and Iran, respectively);
• Urengoy (Russia);
• Galkynysh (Turkmenistan).

These are not just large, but gigantic and super-gigantic places, in which most of the entire earth's natural gas is concentrated.

Natural gas fields in Russia

If we talk about our country, then we can name about 14 sources of this unique raw material. The largest are:

• Urengoy;
• Leningradskoe;
• Yamburg;
• Shtokman;
• Bovanenkovskoe;
• Zapolyarnoye.

Eight more have less massive reserves, but they are also very important for the well-being of our country. In general, natural gas deposits in Russia are the most numerous in comparison with other countries of the world. There are so many sources as in our region, nowhere else.

World gas reserves forecasts

From the figures given above in the article on the production and consumption of gas, as well as on the quantities of its reserves, it is obvious that the approximate time of use of all sources will be about 55 years! This is very small, so work is now underway in this area.

Experts predict the same for oil. An interesting fact is that the bulk of this raw material remains hidden from human production in the permafrost and at the bottom of the world ocean in the form of gas hydrate layers. If scientists manage to solve the problem of their processing and develop production methods, then both gas and oil problem will be resolved for many years to come.

But so far this remains only a hope and a dream, faith in the bright minds and insight of the learned people of our world.

Mining methods

Natural gas production is carried out according to a specific technique and method. The thing is that the depth of its occurrence can reach several kilometers. In such conditions, a specially developed program and new, modern and powerful equipment are required.

The production methodology is based on creating a pressure difference between the gas reservoir and the outside atmospheric air. As a result, with the help of the well, the product is pumped out from the places of occurrence, and the formation is subjected to saturation with water.

Wells are drilled along a certain trajectory that resembles a ladder. This is done because:

• this saves space and preserves the integrity of materials during production, since gas impurities (hydrogen sulfide, for example) are very harmful to equipment;
• this allows you to distribute the pressure on the formation more evenly;
• in this way it is possible to penetrate to a depth of 12 km, which makes it possible to study the lithospheric composition of the earth's interior.

As a result, natural gas production becomes quite successful, uncomplicated and well-organized. After the product has been removed, it is sent to its destination. If it is a chemical plant, then it is purified there and prepared for further use in various industries.

In particular, for household purposes, it is necessary not only to clean the product, but also to add odorants to it - special substances that give a sharp unpleasant odor. This is done for the safety of indoor leaks.

Gas transportation

After the natural gas was formed, it was collected and prepared for transportation. It is done in different ways.

1. Through the pipeline. The most common option, however, is the most dangerous. In this case, it is the gaseous product that moves, which can cause a leak and an explosion. Therefore, on the way of the entire route there are compressor points, the purpose of which is to maintain pressure for the normal movement of the product.
2. The use of gas carriers - special tankers capable of transporting liquefied material. This method is the safest, since in the liquid state the gas is not so explosive and incapable of spontaneous combustion.
3. Railway with tank wagons.

The way the gas is transported depends on the range of the point of arrival and the quantity of the product.

Environmental aspect

From the point of view of the natural aspect, there is no cleaner ecological fuel than natural gas. After all, the products of its combustion are water and there are no harmful emissions, they are not formed

However, in this case, there is still a problem - it is the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which provokes global climate change. Scientists from all countries are also working on this problem, since in recent times it is more and more topical and relevant.

Nevertheless, so far gas and oil are the main ones that serve people as fuel.

Natural gas is a hydrocarbon mixture based on methane. In addition to it, it includes other components: propane, butane, ethane and substances that do not contain hydrocarbons. It accumulates between rock strata. Often gas reserves accompany oil fields. One of its interesting properties is that natural gas is colorless and odorless. Gas production is of great importance for modern industry and ensuring the everyday life of the population.

Deposits and reserves in different geographic areas

Our country is the owner of the largest blue fuel deposits. This is followed by the United States, Kazakhstan, the Asian states of the former USSR - Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and the powers of the Persian Gulf. The development of deposits is carried out all over the globe. In addition to deposits on land, active production takes place in the world's oceans.

Within the territory of Russian Federation the main reserves are located in Siberia, and they are also present in the North Caucasus and the Black Sea basin. There are several of the largest deposits.

Urengoy. This is largest deposit in Russia, the second largest in the world.

Find. It is also located in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District. Its development began in 2004. The volume of deposits in it is estimated at about 275 billion cubic meters.

Angaro-Lenskoye- on the territory of the Irkutsk region. The results of the assessment confirm the accumulation of up to 1.4 trillion cubic meters there.

Kovykta- in the same area. Due to the fact that this field is located in the permafrost zone, it is the most labor-intensive to develop. The volume of the deposits is about 2 trillion cubic meters. m of gas and up to 120 million cubic meters of liquid condensate.

Shtokmanskoe. Located near Murmansk. According to preliminary estimates, there are up to 3.8 trillion cubic meters. This field has not yet been taken into development due to the deep occurrence of gas.

Gazprom is a monopoly in the development of gas fields in our country. It accounts for the production of about 74% of all domestic reserves and 20% of the world. The tasks of Gosprom, in addition to direct functions, include gasification of the state.

Gas deposit classifications

It is assumed that minerals, including natural gas, were formed during the Cretaceous era. At that time, large animals lived on the planet, now extinct. Adherents of biogenic origin believe that this is the reason for the formation of natural gas.

Deposits are classified depending on the depth of their occurrence and the time of formation.

The deepest tiers are named according to the location. They are named:

• Cenomanian.
• Valanginian.
• Turonian.
• Achimovsky.

Gas deposits by tier

The Turonian layer is of relatively recent origin, its depth is about 800 m. It is characterized by a heterogeneous composition with a large amount of impurities that reduce the quality of raw materials.

Russia possesses huge reserves of gas from the Cenomanian stage. The depth of the deposits ranges from 1 to 1.8 km. This kind of free gas contains almost no impurities, mostly including methane. Gas production under these conditions does not require its subsequent purification, therefore, it is most expedient from an economic point of view.

The Achimov layer is currently not fully understood. It is noted for a significant level of paraffin content. These formations are characterized by high internal pressures. The production of this type of gas in our country is also quite widespread.

The Valanginian Stage is located at a depth of up to 3 km and is the deepest in comparison with the others. These reserves are now being depleted.

Blue fuel extraction process

Prior to gas production, is the process of geological exploration. They allow you to accurately determine the volume and nature of the deposit. Several reconnaissance methods are currently in use.

Gravitational- based on the calculation of the mass of rocks. The gas-containing layers are characterized by a much lower density.

Magnetic- takes into account the magnetic permeability of the rock. Through aeromagnetic surveys, it is possible to obtain a complete picture of deposits up to 7 km deep.

Seismic- radiation is used that is reflected when passing through the subsoil. This echo can be picked up by special measuring instruments.

Geochemical- the composition of groundwater is being studied with the determination of the content in them of substances associated with gas fields.

Drilling- the most effective method, but at the same time the most expensive of the above. Therefore, prior to its use, a preliminary study of rocks is required.

After the field has been identified and the preliminary volumes of deposits have been estimated, the gas production process is started directly. Wells are drilled to the depth of the mineral layer. In order to evenly distribute the pressure of the rising blue fuel, the well is performed with a ladder or telescopically (like a telescope).

The well is cased and cemented. To evenly reduce pressure and accelerate the gas production process, several wells are drilled at once in one field. The rise of gas through the well is carried out in a natural way - the gas moves to the zone of lower pressure.

Since the gas contains various impurities after production, the next stage is its purification. To ensure this process, appropriate industrial cleaning and gas facilities are being built near the fields.

Extraction using coal mines

Coal seams contain a large amount of methane, the extraction of which not only makes it possible to obtain blue fuel, but also to ensure the safe operation of coal mining enterprises. A similar method is commonly used in the United States.

Fracturing method

When gas is produced by this method, a stream of water or air is injected through the well. Thus, gas is displaced.

This method can cause seismic instability of the destroyed rocks, therefore, it is prohibited in some states.

Features of underwater mining

Gas reserves are present, in addition to land, and under water. Our country has extensive underwater deposits. Subsea mining is carried out using heavy gravity platforms. They are located on a base resting on the seabed. Wells are drilled with columns placed on the base. Tanks for storing the recovered gas are placed on the platforms. It is then transported to land through a pipeline.

These platforms provide for the constant presence of people performing the maintenance of the complex. The number can be up to 100 people. These facilities are equipped with an autonomous power supply, a helicopter pad, and staff quarters.

When close to the shore, wells are being drilled. They begin on land, leaving the base under the sea shelf. Gas production and transportation is carried out in a standard manner.

Storage and transportation of extracted fuel

After production, the gas is placed in closed impermeable containers - steel tanks, which, for reliability, have double walls. It is possible to manufacture them based on aluminum alloys... The space between the walls is filled with non-thermally conductive material, which prevents the gas from heating.

The most ambitious are underground storage facilities. liquefied gas... Rocks act as walls. For greater reliability, they are concreted.

When building such tanks, deep pits are pulled out, which, after concreting the walls, are closed with a steel ceiling.

Natural gas is transported by pipes made of large diameter pipes. The system maintains a stable pressure of up to 75 atm. This is provided by compressor stations located at regular intervals.

Gas is transported by sea using special gas carriers (tankers). For this, the gas must be pre-conditioned. Tankers are equipped with containers in which the gas is in special temperature conditions under a certain pressure.

Such transportation is economically feasible if the distance between the consumer and the development of the field does not exceed 3 thousand km. It involves the preliminary construction of a blue fuel liquefaction plant and port equipment.

Impact on the environment

Gas production systems have a serious impact on the environment. According to statistics, 35% of the total air emissions are from this industrial sector. Moreover, only 20% of them are neutralized. Emissions of harmful substances from compressor stations occur during the following operations:

• burst nature of the release (during gas pipeline purging);
• when lubricating the degassing tank;
• in case of activation of pneumatic valves.

Shale gas production is especially dangerous for the natural balance. This process is usually carried out by the water hammer method. At the same time, the liquid used contains toxic components that subsequently penetrate into the soil. Their release into the atmosphere is also possible. This process is also dangerous in the field of seismology.

In order to minimize the negative consequences for environment, production and gas should be carried out according to the developed technology, taking into account these points.

Natural gas is lifted up the well by natural energy. It is mined in America, Europe, Africa and other regions. One seventh of all world production is accounted for by Gazprom.

Blind mining

Natural gas is trapped in the smallest pores found in some rocks. The depth at which natural gas is located ranges from 1000 meters to several kilometers. After geological exploration, when it is established where the deposits are located, the process of gas production begins, that is, its extraction from the subsoil, collection and preparation for transportation.

The main feature of gas production in comparison with the production of solid minerals is that gas remains hidden in sealed structures at all stages - from the moment it is extracted from the reservoir until it reaches the consumer.

Drilling of the wells

Gas is extracted from the subsoil using specially drilled wells, which are called production or production wells. In general, there are many types of wells - they are used not only for production, but also for studying the geological structure of the subsoil, searching for new deposits, supporting work, and so on.

Why drill with a ladder

Pipes for strengthening the walls of wells can be nested one into the other - according to the principle of a telescope. So they take up much less space and are more convenient to store.

The pressure must be evenly distributed.

The borehole depth can be up to 12 km. This depth can be used to study the lithosphere.

The wellbore is reinforced with special casing pipes and cemented.

After the well

Natural gas rises to the surface due to natural energy - striving to the zone of least pressure. Since the gas produced from the well contains many impurities, it is first sent for processing. Complex gas treatment units are being built not far from some of the fields; in some cases, gas from the wells immediately enters the gas processing plant.

Production volumes

Today, Gazprom accounts for 74% of Russian and 14% of world gas production.

The table below compares gas production volumes worldwide, in Russia as a whole, and Gazprom's production volumes:

World gas production figures are taken from the BP report.

Natural gas is one of the non-renewable minerals. According to one of the most popular theories, they are formed during a long process of anaerobic decomposition of living organisms in the soil under the influence of high temperature and pressure. The extracted raw materials contain methane, butane, ethane, propane and other compounds. Natural gas is odorless and colorless. In Russia, the extraction and processing of this mineral began about 200 years ago. At first, gas was considered a by-product of oil production (both fuels usually lie next to each other). However, subsequently, these fossils began to be mined separately.

Gas fields

The Russian Federation has the largest gas reserves in the world. The second largest reserves of this mineral are the United States. It is followed by some countries from the post-Soviet space (Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan) and states located on the territory of the Persian Gulf. Natural gas is produced all over the world. Moreover, the development of blue fuel deposits is not limited to the land area. It is actively mined from the seabed. In Russia, gas fields are mainly located behind the Ural Mountains. They are also found in the North Caucasus and the Black Sea. Most large reserves blue fuel found in the following deposits:

• Urengoyskoe. It is located in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District. This field is the second largest in the world in terms of natural gas reserves.
• Nakhodkinskoe. This deposit also belongs to the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District. Its development began in 2004. Its gas reserves are estimated to reach 275 billion cubic meters.
• Angaro - Lenskoye. Located in the Irkutsk region. Exploration data indicate that the deposit has accumulated about 1.4 trillion cubic meters. gas.
• Kovykta. Located near Irkutsk. It belongs to the most difficult fields in terms of production, since part of the territory is covered with a layer of permafrost. According to preliminary estimates, about 2 trillion cubic meters lie here. gas and approximately 120 million tons of liquid condensate.
• Shtokmanskoe. Another deposit, which belongs to the category of the largest. It is located about 600 km from Murmansk and includes about 3.8 trillion cubic meters. gas. Due to the great depth of occurrence of minerals, production at this field has not yet been carried out.

All large and most small deposits in the Russian Federation are owned by Gazprom. The gas monopoly, which extracts and processes more than 74% of all Russian fuel reserves, occupies a 20% share of the world market. Apart from its main tasks, Gazprom is also carrying out gasification of the country.

Gas exploration and production methods

Before the start of production, geological exploration of the territory is carried out, where, possibly, there are deposits of blue fuel. They make it possible to determine the approximate gas reserves and the prospects for the development of the field. Reconnaissance of the area is carried out using one of the following methods:

• Gravitational. During which experts assess the gravity of rocks. The presence of gas is indicated by areas with a lower density.
• Magnetic. It is based on the different magnetic permeability of rocks.
• Seismic. Such geological exploration involves the use of special equipment that sends waves of different lengths through the earth's layers and picks up the reflected echo.
• Geochemical. The study of groundwater for the level of concentration of certain chemical compounds is being carried out.
• Drilling. It is considered the most accurate exploration method. However, drilling is also the most expensive way to explore deposits.

There are several enough effective methods natural gas production. These include:

• One of the most important areas is, of course, drilling. Natural gas fills many voids in the earth's rocks by connecting channels. When drilling a well, fuel under natural pressure begins to rise upward. To ensure uniform production, the well itself is created in the form of a "ladder", and its walls are reinforced with casing pipes.
• Hydraulic fracturing. This method also involves drilling wells, which are then injected with a large amount of water or air flow. This approach breaks down the baffles formed in the rock, so that all the gas under pressure is released to the outside.
• Extraction under water. Underwater gas production is carried out from special platforms, the concrete base of which rests against the bottom. It is in the latter that the columns are built, through which wells are drilled, and tanks for temporary storage of fuel. The gas is then sent to land via a pipeline, where it is processed in the traditional way.

The produced gas contains a wide variety of impurities. Therefore, he is sent to a special station, which is usually built next to the field. It is necessary to recycle fossils, since it is necessary to remove impurities and various inclusions from them, such as sand and water.

Subsequently, blue fuel is sent to storage. To do this, it is pre-cooled to a temperature of -160 degrees and filled with containers made of aluminum alloys or steel. Basically, gas storage facilities are built underground.

For transportation of gas to end consumers and export supplies, special trunk pipelines, through which gas is supplied to gas distribution stations, where pressure reduction is carried out, but also the addition of an odorant (ethyl mercaptan), a substance that gives the gas a characteristic odor and prevents an imperceptible gas leak.

Gas production today is one of the most important industries in Russia. It forms a significant part of the country's budget.

In 2018, Gazprom produced (excluding the share in production of entities in which investments are classified as joint operations):

• 497.6 billion cubic meters m of natural and associated gas;
• 15.9 million tons of gas condensate;
• 40.9 million tons of oil.

Gas production strategy

In its strategy, PJSC Gazprom adheres to the principle of producing such a volume of gas that is secured by demand.

The strategic regions for gas production in the long term are the Yamal Peninsula, Eastern Siberia and the Far East, and the continental shelf of Russia.

Gazprom's strategy for the development of promising fields is based on economic efficiency determined by the synchronous development of gas production capacities and the possibilities of its transportation, integrated processing and storage.

Oil production strategy

The development of the oil business is one of the strategic objectives of Gazprom. The basis of oil production in the Gazprom Group is PJSC Gazprom Neft.

The key task of PJSC Gazprom Neft until 2030 is to build a new generation company, a leader in the oil industry in key areas.

To achieve these goals, Gazprom Neft will strive for the most cost-effective extraction of residual reserves from the current resource base by expanding the best practices optimization of development, reducing the cost of proven technologies, as well as attracting and massively introducing new technologies.

Production facilities of the Gazprom Group in Russia

As of December 31, 2018, the Gazprom Group was developing 138 hydrocarbon fields in Russia. The Nadym-Pur-Tazovsky oil and gas region in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug remains the main gas production center for Gazprom. Development activities oil reserves The group is conducted mainly in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra, as well as in the Tomsk, Omsk, Orenburg and Irkutsk regions, in the Pechora Sea.

Indicators of gas, condensate and oil production

Gazprom accounts for 69% of Russian gas production and 12% of all gas produced in the world.

In 2018, the Gazprom Group (excluding the share in production of organizations, investments in which are classified as joint operations) produced 497.6 billion cubic meters. m of natural and associated gas.

At the end of 2018, Gazprom (excluding the share in production of organizations in which investments are classified as joint operations) produced 40.9 million tons of oil and 15.9 million tons of gas condensate.

Taking into account the Gazprom Group's share in the production volumes of organizations, investments in which are classified as joint operations (1.1 billion cubic meters of natural and associated gas and 7.4 million tons of oil), the Group's production of hydrocarbons amounted to 498.7 billion cubic meters. m of natural and associated gas, 15.9 million tons of gas condensate and 48.3 million tons of oil.

Development of hydrocarbon resources abroad

On the territory of foreign countries, the Gazprom Group conducts prospecting and exploration of hydrocarbon deposits, participates in a number of oil and gas projects that have entered the production stage, and also provides service associated with the construction of wells. The work is carried out on the territory of the countries of the former Soviet Union, states of Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America.