My energy source is natural gas. Natural gas is a fossil fuel that when burned produces a great amount of energy. The natural gas that is delivered to your home is almost pure methane. There are some different ways that natural gas can be formed but it is usually found under the surface of the earth. Since it has a low density, it rises through the ground. Some of it will rise to the air and dissipate but a great amount of it is kept by rock formations that trap it. These big formations are called reservoirs. With this gas being under pressure it can be gathered by drilling and will escape on its own.

            The use of natural gas in the U.S annually in 2012 was 25,502,251 cubic feet. 4,179,740 of that is used residentially. 7,137,697 of that was used industrially and 9,136,746 is used for electric power. Currently 62 million homes in the U.S are using natural gas for heating. It is used in the majority of new homes that are built as well. Energy from natural gas accounts for 24% of total energy consumed by the U.S.

            There is an abundance of natural gas in North America. While it is a non-renewable resource, it is not close to running out any time soon. There are different estimations to the amount left in the ground but all predict a very large amount.

            Given the current use of it, it is sustainable for only a limited amount of time. Since it is non-renewable there will be a time when it is all used up. While there is plenty currently in the ground, in the larger aspect of things it is not sustainable forever.

            At the end of 2012, the cost of a U.S natural gas wellhead was $3.35 dollars per thousand cubic feet. This is the cost of production and maintenance not including shipment. Here is a chart showing the cost of drilling wells.

             One big issue is the process of fracking. Without getting deep into this topic, it should be noted that more than 90% of wells in the U.S have used fracking to boost production at some time. Depending on the stance of the individual this is a major social factor to consider. Another physical issue is that the process of acquiring this has the ability to contaminate ground water that people use for drinking. One positive is that it is available 24/7 365. With being transported by pipes underground there are never issues involving its availability.