aardgas

aardgas, in Dutch, refers to natural gas, a fossil fuel energy resource. It is a naturally occurring mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons, dominated by methane (CH4). It is formed from ancient organic matter and is found in underground reservoirs, often alongside oil. Extraction occurs by drilling wells; some gas is produced as associated gas from oil fields, others from dedicated gas reservoirs.

After removal of liquids and water, the gas is processed at treatment plants to remove impurities such as CO2 and H2S, water, heavy hydrocarbons, and noble gases; components like ethane, propane, and butane may be recovered as byproducts. Odorants are added to the gas before distribution to detect leaks.

Natural gas is distributed through pipelines and can be used directly for heating, cooking, and industrial processes, or used as a fuel for electricity generation. It is also an input for chemical synthesis (e.g., hydrogen production, ammonia via steam reforming) and can be converted to LNG for transport or CNG for vehicles.

Environmental and safety considerations: burning natural gas releases carbon dioxide and water; methane leaks and venting contribute to climate change and require leak detection and mitigation. It is flammable and must be handled carefully; pipelines and facilities are subject to safety and regulatory controls, including odorization and monitoring.

In many countries aardgas has been a major energy source, with infrastructure built to collect, process, and distribute it. In places like the Netherlands, large gas fields historically supplied domestic energy, though production has declined and import and renewable energy uptake have grown as part of energy transition.