3. Downstream

3.1 Introducing natural gas

As mentioned above, it is mainly "conventional non-associated" natural gas that supplies the European natural gas production market and its transmission networks via distribution wells.

Natural gas processed for marketing is colorless, odorless, tasteless and has no particular shape. It contains between 81 and 97% CH ₄ and is therefore less dense than air: its density relative to air is 0.6 and its density around 0.8 kg/m ³ . It appears in gaseous form above about – 161°C, at atmospheric pressure. It has a lower flammability limit of 5% and an upper flammability limit of 15% (H-gas).