Natural Gas - Environmentally Friendly Energy

Natural gas is a natural product – created 600 million years ago by decomposing marine plankton, algae and other plants. It is trapped in porous rock up to 7,000 metres under the earth's surface. As a primary energy, i.e. in its natural state and without conversion losses, natural gas is usually used to generate heat for space heating, industrial applications and for generating electricity. It has numerous environmental advantages: During combustion the carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide emissions are, in comparison to other energy sources, extremely low. The application of natural gas helps us all contribute to environmental protection.

RheinEnergie supplies Cologne and Rösrath with natural gas. In the Cologne city area the percentage of natural gas required for space heating in homes, small businesses and public buildings is approximately 66.7%. By the time the natural gas arrives in our supply area, it has already been on a long journey through various pipelines: Our preliminary suppliers purchase it from northern Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, Norway, Denmark and Great Britain. Almost all the natural gas used in the Rhineland supply networks comes from the Netherlands.

In order to tap into natural gas reserves drilling is required on land and out at sea. It is cleaned, dried, processed and transported via a huge underground supply network. Compressor stations placed at 100 to 200 kilometre intervals ensure the correct "transport speed" of the gas. Once the gas arrives at its destination, reducing stations adjust the gas pressure to the local pipelines. The transit pipelines are 1.60 metres in diameter and have an operating pressure of over 70 bar. They lead to house connections which are 5 centimetres in diameter and operate at 0.022 bar.

RheinEnergie is commissioned by NETZGesellschaft Rhineland to regularly test its supply network and its storage systems for operability and safety. Since natural gas is odourless, an odour is added. It is added for safety reasons, ensuring that customers can smell potential leaks. Our experts monitor the gas network from our control centre day and night and are able to react immediately if leaks or damages occur. A team of specialists is on call 24 hours a day to deal with any problems.

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