What are the problems associated with natural gas?

Answer 1

Two common problems with the development of gas field are

1. Lack of a local market
2. Insufficient rates or recoverable markets.

Gas is different than oil, because it is not easily transported in many places of the world. A gas discovery in the US generally can be connected fairly easily to an existing pipeline network, but the same can not be assumed for a gas discovery in other countries, particularly if it offshore. Countries like Angola and Nigeria have been re-injecting gas into their field to improve recovery, but this too may be uneconomical.

Gas can be liquified, as is the case in Trinidad and exported to market. This requires a port that is permitted to offload LNG, which are very expensive to build.

A gas discovery may flow at insufficient rates or the quantity that can be recovered too small to justify development. This occurs particularly in deep deposits, where the cost of drilling is high. A field may appear to be very large, but too subdivided (compartmentalized) to be commercial.

And, of course, the burning of natural gas releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas which is responsible for global warming.

Answer 2

Some of the problems associated with natural gas include methane leaks during extraction and transportation, which contribute to climate change. Additionally, the fracking process used to extract natural gas can contaminate water sources and cause earthquakes. Lastly, the combustion of natural gas releases carbon dioxide and other air pollutants, impacting air quality and human health.