What is natural gas?

Natural gas is a naturally occurring fuel extracted from deep within the earth. It is not one gas but a mixture of various naturally-occurring gases. The types of gasses in this stew vary from well to well. Natural gas is primarily methane, but also contains other flammable gases such as propane, butane, carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Since natural gas is colorless and odorless in it's native state, it is mandatory by the Federal Government to use Mercaptan to make it readily detectable.

What is Mercaptan?

Natural gas in its native state is colorless and odorless. Mercaptan is the additive that is added to natural gas to make it easier to detect in case of a leak. The most important thing to know about mercaptan is that it stinks. Some people compare it to the smell of rotten eggs.

In a concentrated form, its smell is almost unbearable. And it takes only a few parts per million of mercaptan to give natural gas a smell. That is precisely why we add it to natural gas. If we did not add mercaptan, it would be hard for you to know that unlit natural gas was coming from your stove after you left the valve turned on. And leaks from furnaces and hot water heaters would be nearly impossible to detect without expensive equipment. So mercaptan's smell is a very valuable safety feature.

Mercaptans contain sulfur. That's what makes them smell. The kind we use blends well with natural gas and, in a gaseous state, has much the same properties as natural gas, so it will also rise and dissipate with natural gas.

There are other uses for mercaptans in industry, including jet fuel, pharmaceuticals and livestock feed additives. They are used in many chemical plants. Mercaptans are less corrosive and less toxic than similar sulfur compounds found naturally in rotten eggs, onions, garlic, skunks, and, of course, bad breath. In other word, forms of mercaptan can be found in things that smell.

Mercaptan is added by the LCNG department as needed , and is tested on several different locations throughout the piping system monthly to ensure safety to the customer.

What should I do when there is a strong gas odor in the house?

1. Leave the house immediately.

2. DO NOT make calls from your home. Phones are capable of producing a spark, which could start a fire or explosion. Contact the City of Lake City at (386) 752-2031 from a phone outside and away from your home.

3. DO NOT light a match or other combustible material. Likewise, DO NOT turn any light switches on or off, and DO NOT plug or unplug electrical appliances such as a television or vacuum cleaner. These activities also can produce a spark that could start a fire or explosion.

4. Do not re-enter the house until the gas company finds the source of the leak and corrects it.

Is it safe to use the gas meter for electric bonding?

No! Electric bonding to or use of Lake City Natural Gas service piping, gas risers or meter facilities for electric grounding is not permitted. Use caution when touching gas meters. Faulty household appliances or faulty household electrical wiring could inadvertently introduce electricity to gas facilities.

What are other properties of natural gas?

• Natural Gas is Nontoxic
  Natural gas contains no toxic poisonous ingredients that can be absorbed into the blood when inhaled.

• Natural Gas is Lighter Than Air
  If natural gas escapes into the atmosphere, it dissipates rapidly. A heavier-than-air gas, such as propane or gasoline fumes, would settle and accumulate near the ground.
  

• Natural Gas is Colorless
  When mixed with the proper amount of air and ignited, invisible natural gas burns with a clean, blue flame. It is one of the cleanest burning fuels, producing primarily heat, carbon dioxide and water vapor.

• Natural Gas is Odorless
  When taken from the ground, natural gas is odorless. A harmless but pungent odor is added as a safety precaution. The odorant is so powerful you can smell even the smallest quantity of gas in the event of a leak.

• Natural Has Narrow Combustion Limits
  This helps ensure predictable, safe use. Natural gas will only ignite when there is an air-and-gas mixture of between 5 and 15 percent natural gas. Any mixture containing less than 5 percent or greater than 15 percent natural gas will not ignite.

• Natural Gas Reduces Our Dependence on Foreign-oil Imports
  More than 90 percent of the natural gas Americans use comes from the lower 48 states. The rest comes from Canada.

• Natural Gas Contributes to a Cleaner Environment
  It is the cleanest-burning fossil fuel available. It helps improve air and water quality, especially when used in place of more polluting energy sources. When natural gas burns, virtually no harmful pollutants are produced.

Are all gas department employees' required to be qualified to work with or around Natural Gas?

Yes! The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a final operator qualification (OQ) rule in August 1999 that was the result of negotiation among federal pipeline safety officials, AGA and allied natural gas industry representatives and others. The rule gave operators until October 26, 2002, to qualify the workforce performing covered tasks during pipeline operations and maintenance. This effort was successfully completed.

The Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002 directed DOT to put in place standards and criteria to evaluate such programs, and issue a report to Congress. To comply with the law, AGA and other pipeline industry representatives worked with state and federal regulators to develop “audit protocols” to aid regulators in evaluating operator qualification programs. Stakeholders also developed computer-based taking, software and other technology to support a national infrastructure for operator qualification programs.

The DOT report to congress concluded that:

• Operators showed a strong willingness to quickly address inspection findings and improve their OQ programs.
  

• Events attributable to human error and to operator excavation damage have been on a downward trend over the last five years. Because the number of such events is small, and because operator 10 programs continue to mature, it is too soon to attribute these trends with great certainty to the OQ program.

AGA expects DOT to make minor modifications to the OQ regulation. The national trade associations support adding requirements for training when appropriate and a five-year maximum requalification interval. The trade associations do not endorse including new construction in the OQ program, but note that many AGA member companies have voluntarily include new construction in the OQ programs.

The Pipeline Safety Act of 2006 requires DOT to issue regulations to address fatigue and other human factors for pipeline controllers by June 1, 2008. The OQ program will likely be a major element in satisfying the human factors portion of the new regulation.