Natural gas is a fuel that’s used to heat buildings, cook food, dry clothes, heat water, and even to help produce electricity. It’s sometimes called “gas” for short, but don’t confuse it with the gasoline that runs your car. Gasoline is a liquid, while natural gas is...you guessed it...a gas!

In fact, natural gas is really a mixture of gases that formed from the fossil remains of ancient plants and animals buried deep in the earth. The main ingredient in natural gas is methane.

Methane is odorless and colorless. So, why does natural gas smell? The gas company adds a chemical called mercaptan, which gives natural gas that funny sulfur-like or rotten egg odor.

Natural gas gives off a lot of heat and light when it burns, but doesn’t produce smoke. That makes it a good fuel for use in the home. Today, more than half the homes in the U.S. are heated by natural gas.

Natural gas is a popular fuel choice because it burns cleaner, hotter, and brighter than other fossil fuels like coal and oil. It’s also reliable. Because natural gas pipes are buried safely underground, you aren’t likely to lose service during stormy weather.

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