Natural gas has been around for while, people use it to heat their houses and fuel their barbeques. If natural gas is around why are we still so dependent on oil? Well, transportation is heavily dependent on oil and only now are finally seeing vehicles running on natural gas. This shift from oil to natural gas is a mjor game changer for the future.
Shell is one of the largest supporters of natural gas today. They are banking on natural gas as a the future way of life. On Shell’s website these words are printed bold big, “Natural gas offers an affordable and environmentally acceptable option to power people’s lives today. It will also help to meet the world’s rising demand for more, cleaner energy into the future. Shell is using advanced technology to open up new resources of natural gas”. Natural gas is cleaner than oil, abundant and an easily accessed in the US.
Shell truly is putting a tremendous amount of resources into the gas of the future. According to New York Times article, “Betting on Gas, Shell Floats Plan on High Seas”, Shell has control over nearly 30 percent of the worlds liquified natural gas volume. There biggest stake in the future of natural gas is the vessel they are majority owner of. This vessel is like nothing else built before and is a major investment in natural gas.
The largest ship ever made will span 1,600 feet, house 400 people and be on site for approximately 25 years. This huge liquid natural gas vessel will house an apparatus that cools natural gas into liquid at negative 260 degrees Fahrenheit. The total costs of this vessel would exceed $10 billion a year. Despite these these high costs, it is expected that Shell could make $1 billion a year in net profits.Shell is proud to be the first to build a floating liquid natural gas vessel and is excited to move forward with countries like china and india that are leapfrogging into the future. Another New York Times article written this October called “After the Boom in Natural Gas” discusses some of the advancements made with the use of natural gas most recently. Not only does natural gas bring cheaper energy but cleaner energy. According the article, “Companies and municipalities are deploying thousands of new gas-powered trucks and buses, curbing noxious diesel fumes and reducing the nation’s reliance on imported oil.” Natural gas is so much cheaper than oil that the United States economy benefited by over $100 billion last year. The price of natural gas has reached an all time low, down nearly 60 percent.
It seems that natural gas could be the commodity of the future. With its price being at an all time low, its a good time to invest. Shell believes natural is a good investment and I am on board. Check out this video uploaded to youtube by Shell, it promotes the use of natural gas with some great easy to understand facts.