Natural gas is 95% methane.
- Methane is a greenhouse gas with 84 times the Global Warming Potential of carbon dioxide over a 20-year timeframe.
- Methane losses from natural gas systems account for 18 percent of total worldwide methane emissions
- U.S. gas utilities tolerate leaks from gas pipes as long they do not pose an immediate threat of explosion or fire.
Natural gas is dangerous.
- Natural gas explodes. It’s as simple as that.
- There are about 286 natural gas explosions a year.
- Since 2010 there have been more than 2,700 significant gas leak incidents across the country requiring hospitalization or causing property damage more than $122,00.
- These leaks resulted in 362 explosions, injuring 700 people and killing 140.1
- The American Chemical Society estimated there were 630,000 leaks in the U.S.2 in 2020.
- The Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) estimates that a gas pipeline incident occurs somewhere in the U.S. every 40 hours.3
Natural Gas Price and Supply
- Natural gas prices were higher in 2021 and 2022 than in decades
- In February, benchmark prices at Henry Hub exceeded the published range, averaging $23.61/MMBtu at one point.4
- In December 2022, prices on the West Coast were $50.0 per million Btu (MMBtu), more than $48/MMBtu higher than the natural benchmark price.5
- Every year, the U.S. exports more natural gas (as Liquified Natural Gas or LNG) around the world. 2021 exports were more than 20% higher by volume than in 2020.6
- Europe's LNG import capacity is set to expand by one-third by the end of 2024.7
- The more gas that is shipped elsewhere, the higher the prices at home.
Be sure to know the facts about natural gas.
