What's Gas in America?

[hairygrape]

Americans refer to gasoline (petrol) as "gas". It's just an abbreviated form after all.

But if gas is gasoline, what do americans call their version of North Sea gas ie the fuel that's piped into the UK from the North Sea and elsewhere and fuels my cooker.

Does LPG have a different name over there too?

I've been curious about this for a long time but in all the years I've watched TV, I've never seen a program referring to the american version of North Sea gas. I was beginning to think they didn't have such a fuel.

Thanks all.

[Clanad]

Your petrol is our gas, as you note, it's short for gasoline. We also have diesel fuel for that type of engine (usually shortened to just diesel). Gas recovered from oil wells is natural gas. It can, after a conversion process, be bottled for those areas that don't have service, such as our ranch (we live in the western U.S.) and as such it's usually called propane, but also called LPG (liquefied petroleum gas). One can also have butane, but that's more for special purposes...

[hairygrape]

Thanks clanad. You've explained it very well.

Could I just ask out of curiosity if the U.S has offshore reserves of natural gas in use as well as that recovered from oil wells? Also, is your natural gas piped to homes in most of the urban areas of the U.S? Are the oils wells able to supply sufficient gas for domestic and industrial use in the urban U.S?

Apologies for so many questions but I've not seen much information on the infrastructure of natural gas distribution in the U.S.

Thanks again.

[Clanad]

Sure, hairy... The offshore oil wells produce an abundance of natural gas as do the onshore oil wells in every State, some more, some less. Here in the western U.S., especially, natural gas is "flared off" sometimes at the well head since it is so abundant and difficult to process. This is usually only for the early stages in the well's life since infrastructure to pipe and treat the gas is built a little later. Suffice it to say that the U.S. can produce most of the natural gas than it needs.
Most homes have natural gas available as the heating source. Some areas of the U.S., most notably the north east (New England) don't have as much distribution of natural gas as they do, or at least , have had heating oil. The cost of the heating oil has increased to the point that many companies are either building or considering building natural gas distribution lines.

In addition to the U.S. produced natural gas, we import from Canada via pipelines abundant natural gas from the new fields in northwest Canada (Athabasca Oil Sands). The limiting factor on service volume are the pipelines for distribution. They are extremely expensive to build and maintain and new ones are hard to get approved due to environmental concerns...

[Clanad]

I think I need to clarify that there are offshore and onshore wells that are not oil wells but produce only natural gas. However, large amounts of natural gas are produced from many oil wells as well...

[hairygrape]

Clanad, you're a star. Thank you very much indeed.

[nightmare]

It used to be called gasoline in Britain.
Petrol was the name of a popular brand, and like Thermos and Hoover etc., the brand name stuck as the usual reference.

[VS Prasad]

Slangs:

1) result of consuming an abundance of Taco Bell. May require the act of opening car windows.

"Bridget! That chalupa gave you massive gas!"

2) Something really good.

"That is pure gas."

3) of amusement, funny edging into hilarious depending on the position on the gas scale. of irish origin used to describe all things surprising and ironically pleasant

"have you heard her talk? shes a gas one she is"

4) its something to say when someone says something very untrue

5) The title of a book about a humorous, in-depth look at the compulsive disorder and acquisition strategies of many guitarists' drive to own more and more instruments.

"Have you been helped by "GAS"? It won't cure you, but you'll sure feel better after you find out you're in good company"

6) to provoke someone, to irritate them.

"Don't gas me or I'll punch you in the face."

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term =gas