Once a well has been drilled and the presence of commercially viable quantities of fossil fuel has been verified, the next step is actually lifting the natural gas out of the ground and processing it for transportation.
Natural gas, as it exists underground, is not exactly the same as the natural gas that comes through the pipelines to our homes and businesses. Natural gas, as we use it, is almost entirely methane. However, when we find natural gas underground, it comes associated with a variety of other trace compounds and gases, as well as oil and water, which must be removed. Natural gas transported through pipelines must meet purity specifications to be allowed in, so most natural gas processing occurs near the well.
This section outlines the process of taking raw natural gas from underground formations and processing it into pipeline quality gas, ready for transportation. Click on the links below to learn about well completion and natural gas processing.