Natural gas is a fossil fuel that is composed almost entirely of methane. It was formed deep in the Earth from plants and animals that were buried by mud and sand. Through millions of years, the mud and sand hardened into rock. Pressure from the rock squeezed the organic matter into fossil fuels like natural gas, coal, and oil. Production companies explore, drill, and bring raw gas to the surface. It is then cleaned, and useful byproducts such as light oils and propane are recovered. Transmission companies compress natural gas so that it can be transported through buried underground interstate pipelines to city gates. Compressor stations along the way keep the gas flowing at about 15 miles per hour. Distribution companies like Cascade Natural Gas buy natural gas from the transmission companies and deliver it to customers through a series of underground pipes. Natural gas is odorless and colorless, so an odor that smells like rotten eggs is injected to make leaks easier to detect. Natural gas mains carry gas from the city gate station into the community. Service lines are smaller pipes that carry natural gas from the main to the meter at the customer's building. Pressure regulators keep gas under slight pressure for maximum safety and efficiency. A gas meter measures the volume of gas that is used by the customer. Carbon Monoxide (CO) Incomplete combustion of natural gas can produce carbon monoxide, a potentially fatal gas. Three indicators of incomplete combustion are a yellow flame (blue is normal), combustion odors, and visible soot around the furnace or water heater. If you feel short of breath, dizzy, nauseous, and have headaches, you could be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. Get fresh air right away, and call 911 from a neighbor's phone if your symptoms are severe. If possible, turn off your gas supply at the shut-off valve. Call us at Cascade Natural Gas to trace the leak and restore service. For your safety, make sure you have a working carbon monoxide detector and have appliances checked regularly. Top
			HomeCGC EnergyBusiness ResidentialConservationCompany InfoCustomer CareBuilders In Your CommunityInvestorsRate InfoSite MapPrivacy Policy