Natural gas is a fossil fuel and also is one of the principal sources of energy for many of our day-to-day needs and activities. It is a vital component of the world's energy supply and is one of the cleanest, safest and most useful of all energy sources. Natural gas is colorless, shapeless and odorless in its pure form. It also is combustible, and gives off a great deal of energy when burned.
In its purest form, the principal component of natural gas is methane. Natural gas is considered "dry" when it consists of mostly methane. It is called "wet" when other hydrocarbons such as ethane, propane or butane are present.
Found in reservoirs beneath the earth's surface, natural gas is commonly associated with oil deposits. Production companies search for evidence of natural gas reservoirs by using sophisticated technology. Wells are then drilled where the natural gas is likely to be found.
Once brought from underground, natural gas is refined to remove impurities such as water, other gases, sand and other compounds. Some hydrocarbons, including propane and butane, are removed from natural gas and sold separately.
After the refining process, the clean natural gas is transported through a network of pipelines and delivered to end-users.
SemGroup's Involvement
SemGas and SemCanada Energy provide services for the natural gas industry in the United States and Canada, respectively. Services include natural gas gathering, processing, storage and marketing. For specific information, please see the menu on the left side of this page for options.