Consult the TEXTS FOR SUPPLEMENTARY READING and complete the information about the possible future sources of natural gas (Text 43). Be ready to discuss the information you have read.
29. Fill in the gaps with the words from the box:
| collectively exist degrees associated produced reservoir raw processing |
Natural gas 1 ___ begins at the wellhead. The composition of the 2___ natural gas extracted from producing wells depends on the type, depth and location of the underground deposit and the geology of the area. Oil and natural gas are often found in the same 3 ___. The natural gas 4 ___ from oil wells is generally classified as «associated-dissolved». It means that the natural gas is 5 ___ with or dissolved in crude oil. Most natural gas production contains to varying 6 ___ small hydrocarbon molecules in addition to methane. Although they 7 ___ in a gaseous state at underground pressures, these molecules will become liquid at normal atmospheric pressure. 8 ___, they are called condensates or natural gas liquids.
Check your answers on p. 280.
30. Work in pairs, make as many questions as possible to review the paragraph below and ask each other:
1. Many scientists believe that natural gas was created from fossil plants along with coal, as well as where there were large organic deposits that did not become coal, such as at the mouths of rivers. Some, however, have argued that methane, the principle component of gas, was created along with the earth’s crust. The study of fossils is called paleontology. The creation of natural gas is part of geology.
2. Most natural gas is processed very little to render it useable. Sometimes components called natural gas liquids, such as propane, are extracted from the gas before it is transported or delivered to the consumer. The local gas utility that delivers gas to customers is typically not the same as the pipeline company that collects the gas from the wells and brings the gas into the local area.
3. The chief deposits of «dry gas» (not associated with oil) are in Texas, Louisiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, Kentucky and West Virginia. Considering both «wet» and «dry» gas, the leading states are Texas, California, West Virginia, Louisiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Ohio. Many other states have relatively large scattered supplies. So-called «proved reserves» in the US are around 160 trillion cubic feet of gas. As with oil, finding gas is the job principally of geologists and many of the same techniques are used, especially seismic studies. In fact, the discovery of gas is often a byproduct of the search for oil.
4. The history of natural gas extends to antiquity. In America it was known to the Indians, who observed it issuing from the ground in various spots, chiefly along the western side of the Appalacian Highlands. It was used for illuminating purposes in Fredonia, N.Y., as early as 1821 and the effect was so striking compared to gas made from coal that a German scientist hailed the beautuful, clear gas lights as the eighth wonder of the world. Gas associated with Pennsylvania oil was used for industrial purposes first in Pittsburgh, and its general use then spread to other industrial centers.
5. The most common method of obtaining petroleum is extracting it from oil wells found in oil fields. After the well has been located, various methods are used to recover the petroleum. Primary recovery methods are used to extract oil that is brought to the surface by underground pressure, and can generally recover about 20% of the oil present. After the oil pressure has depleted to the point that the oil is no longer brought to the surface, secondary recovery methods draw another 5 to 10% of the oil in the well to the surface. Finally, when secondary oil recovery methods are no longer viable, tertiary recovery methods reduce the viscosity of the oil in order to bring more to the surface.
31. Read the text and give its brief summary:
Text 11 C
Gas and Power Generation
Natural gas is important as a major source for electricity generation through the use of gas turbines and steam turbines. Particularly high efficiencies can be achieved through combining gas turbines with a steam turbine in combined cycle mode.
Environmentally, natural gas burns cleaner than other fossil fuels, such as oil and coal, and produces fewer greenhous gases. For an equivalent amount of heat, burning natural gas produces about 30% less carbon dioxide than burning petroleum and about 45% less than burning coal. Combined cycle power generation using natural gas is thus the cleanest source of power available using fossil fuels, and this technology is widely used wherever gas can be obtained at a reasonable cost.
Fuel cell technology may eventually provide cleaner options for converting natural gas into electricity, but as yet it is not price-competitive. Also, natural gas is said to peak around the year 2030, 20 years after the peak of oil. It is also projected that the world's supply of natural gas should finish around the year 2085.
Natural gas is commercially produced from oil field and natural gas fields. Gas produced from oil wells is called casinghead gas or associated gas. The largest two natural gas fields are probably South Pars Gas Field in Iran and Urengoy gas field in Russia, with reserves on the order of 1013 m³. Qatar also has 25 trillion cubic meters of natural gas (5% of the world's proven supply), enough to last 250 years at current production levels.
Town gas is a mixture of methane and other gases which can be used in a similar way to natural gas and can be produced by treating coal chemically. This is a historic technology still used as ‘best solution’ in some local circumstances, although coal gasification is not usually economic at current gas prices, depending upon infrastructure considerations.
Notes on the text
casinghead gas (associated gas) - нефтяной (попутный) газ (получаемый из коллектора нефти)
town gas - коммунальный (бытовой) газ
TEXT AND VOCABULARY EXERCISES
32. Find in the text the words or phrases which mean the same as:
| § комбинированный цикл § источник тока § основной источник § паровая турбина § смесь метана и других газов | § коэффициент полезного действия § генерирование § ископаемое топливо § преобразование природного газа в электричество |
33. Give Russian equivalents to the following word combinations:
major source for electricity generation; high efficienciy; combined cycle mode; to produce fewer greenhouse gases; the cleanest source of power; natural gas fields; oil wells; to be at current production levels; local circumstances; to depend upon infrastructure considerations
34. Choose the correct word from Text 11C to complete the sentences:
1. Natural gas is important as a major ___ for electricity generation.
2. Particularly high ___ can be achieved through combining gas turbines with a steam turbine in combined cycle mode.
3. Combined cycle power generation using natural gas is thus the ___ source of power available using fossil fuels.
4. ___ cell technology may eventually provide cleaner options for converting natural gas into electricity but as yet it is not price-competitive.
5. Gas produced from oil wells is called casinghead gas or ___ gas.
6. ___ gas is a mixture of methane and other gases which can be used in a similar way to natural gas and can be produced by treating coal chemically.
7. Coal gasification is not usually economic at current gas prices, depending upon ___ consideration.
35. Match each word in A with the Russian equivalent in B:
| A | B |
| 1. gas turbine | a. запасы |
| 2. steam | b. фитинг в устье скважины для отделения нефти от газа |
| 3. to burn | c. обострять |
| 4. amount | d. пригодный, имеющийся в распоряжении |
| 5. available | e. количество |
| 6. to peak | f. жечь, сжигать |
| 7. casinghead | g. пар |
| 8. reserves | h. газовая турбина |
36. Translate the following sentences into English:
1. В пределах Мирового океана установлено около 70 нефтегазоносных бассейнов.
2. Персидский залив характеризуется высокой концентрацией запасов нефти и газа в сравнительно небольшом числе гигантских месторождений.
3. В начале 20 века изучение запасов природного газа было связано только с разведкой нефти.
4. Запасы природного газа увеличились главным образом благодаря открытию месторождений в восточной части России.
5. На сегодняшний день Россия обладает 35 % от мировых запасов природного газа, что составляет более 48 трлн.м3.
37. Work with a partner. Take turns to ask and answer questions to text 11C. Use the words and word combinations below:
| major source | electricity generation |
| the use of gas turbines | steam turbines |
| combined cycle mode | to convert gas into electricity |
| town gas | gas prices |
38. Fill in the gaps with the prepositions from the box:
| of (3) in (6) at beneath with (2) from by (2) for on |
Natural gas is highly flammable hydrocarbon gas consisting chiefly ___ methane. Although methane is always the chief component, it may also include other gases such as oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, ethane, ethylene, propane, and even some helium.
The gas is found entrapped ___ the earth's crust ___ varying depths ___ impervious strata, such as limestone, and may or may not be ___ association ___ oil. If oil is present it is called wet gas, else dry gas. Deposits are fairly widely distributed, however, ___ the contiguous US only Texas and Louisiana are net exporters. All ___ the other states use more gas than they produce. The gas is drawn ___ wells, similar to oil wells, and is usually transported ___ pipelines, sometimes a thousand miles or more.
As a fuel, natural gas is convenient and efficient. It is used primarily ___ heat, ___ industrial, commercial and residential settings. ___ many homes the house and water are heated ___ gas, the food is cooked ___ it and clothes dried. It is also used to produce electricity, ___ many cases using gas fired turbines that are similar to jet engines. Gas has the great advantage ___ producing no smoke or ash ___ burning, although it is usually much more expensive than coal as a fuel.
39. Consult the TEXTS FOR SUPPLEMENTARY READING and learn about the development of Oklahoma’s oil & gas industry (Text 44). Be ready to discuss the information you have read.
40. Read the text about natural gas crisis in the USA and give its brief summary:
Text 11 D
Natural Gas Crisis in the USA
Many politicians and prominent figures in North America have spoken publicly about a possible natural gas crisis. This includes former Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan, and former Ontario Minister of Energy Dwight Duncan.
The natural gas crisis is typically described by the increasing price of natural gas in the U.S. over the last few years due to the decline in indigenous supply and the increase in demand for electricity generation. Indigenous supply has not truly fallen — but it has leveled off (no matter how many new straws we put into the ground, we still get about the same amount of natural gas each year). But because of the continuing growth in demand, and the temporary but dramatic hit to production that came from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the price has become so high that many industrial users, mainly in the petrochemical industry, have closed their plants causing loss of jobs. Greenspan has suggested that a solution to the natural gas crisis is the importation of LNG*.
New or expanded LNG terminals create tough infrastructure problems and require high capital spending. LNG terminals require a very spacious — at least 40 feet (12.2 m) deep — harbor, as well as being sheltered from wind and waves. These «suitable» sites are thus deep in well populated seaports, which are also burdened with right-of-way concerns for LNG pipelines, or conversely, required to also host the LNG expansion plant facilities and end use (petrochemical) plants amidst the high population densities of major cities, with the associated fumes, multiple serious risks to safety.
Typically, to attain «well sheltered» waters, suitable harbor sites are well up rivers or estuaries, which are unlikely to be dredged deep enough. Since these very large vessels must move slowly and ponderously in restricted waters, the transit times to and from the terminal become costly, as multiple tugboats and security boats shelter and safeguard the large vessels. Operationally, LNG tankers are (for example, in Boston) effectively given sole use of the harbor, forced to arrive and depart during non-peak hours, and precluded from occupying the same harbor until the first is well departed. These factors increase operating costs and make capital investment less attractive.
To substantially increase the amount of LNG used to supply natural gas to North America, not only must «re-gasification» plants be built on North American shores — difficult for the reasons stated above — someone also must put substantial, new liquification stations in Indonesia, the Middle East, and Africa, in order to concentrate the gas generally associated with oil production in those areas. A substantial expansion of the fleet of LNG carriers also must occur to move the huge amount of fuel needed to make up for the coming shortfall in North America.
Notes on the text
*LHG - liquefied natural gas - сжиженный природный газ
TEXT AND VOCABULARY EXERCISES
41. Give Russian equivalents to the following word combinations:
prominent figures; natural gas crisis; the increasing price of natural gas; the decline in indigenous supply; the increase in demand for electricity generation; industrial users; well populated seaports; serious risks to safety; liquification stations; to be associated with; substantial expansion; to move the huge amount of fuel
42. Give English equivalents to the following word combinations:
| § количество природного газа | § каждый год |
| § расширенные терминалы | § защищенный от ветра и волн |
| § нефтехимический завод | § высокий удельный вес населения |
| § подходящие участки гавани | § производить дноуглубительные работы |
| § буксирные суда | § прибывать и отбывать |
43. Give situations from the text in which the following are used:
| possible natural gas crisis | growth in demand of gas |
| tough infrastructure problems | high capital spending |
44. Guided summary. Use the sentences from Text 11D to complete this paragraph. You are free to make any changes:
First of all … Then … It should be noted that …. That’s why … But …Of course … It is interesting to mention
45. Read the following text and render it according to the following scheme:
| § the title of the text is … |
| § the text tells/ runs about …/ the main/central idea is …/in brief …/to put it in a few words …/ the aim of the article/text is to tell the reader about… |
| § according to the text… |
| § to all appearances (по всей видимости)… |
| § then I’m going to add… |
| § I want to point out the following facts that were new to me… |
| § in conclusion I’d like to say… |
| § I like…because…/ I dislike…because… |
MARKET WATCH: Energy prices climb for second straight session
Feb-20-2006
by Sam Fletcher
from Madison Energy Advisors
HOUSTON, Feb. 20 — Energy prices continued to climb Feb. 17, ahead of the long Presidents’ Day holiday weekend in the US, as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez again threatened to cut off crude supplies if the US government were to «cross the line» in its relations with Venezuela. Venezuela is the fifth largest oil exporter and supplies about 15% of US energy imports via Citgo Petroleum Corp., the Houston-based subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela SA.
Venezuela recently expelled a US naval attache accused of spying, and Washington sent home a Venezuelan diplomat. Last week, US Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice said the Bush administration wants to curb Chavez’s influence with other Latin American countries. Meanwhile, militants holding nine foreign hostages in southern Nigeria claimed Feb 20 they attacked another oil facility and blew up a military vessel (OGJ Online, Feb. 20, 2006).
The March contract for benchmark US light, sweet crudes rebounded to $60/bbl in intraday trading Feb. 17 on the New York Mercantile Exchange before closing at $59.88/bbl, up by $1.42 for the day. The April contract gained $1.16 to $61.29/bbl. On the US spot market, West Texas Intermediate at Cushing, Okla., was up by $1.42 to $59.89/bbl.
Gasoline for March delivery bumped up by 9.02¢ to $1.50/gal on NYMEX. Heating oil for the same month increased by 3.21¢ to $1.66/gal. The March natural gas contract rose by 4.8¢ to $7.18/MMbtu. In London, the April contract for North Sea Brent crude increased by $1.10 to $59.89/bbl on the International Petroleum Exchange. Gas oil for March gained $11.25 to $527.25/tonne. The average price for the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ basket of 11 benchmark crudes was up by 75¢ to $54.37/bbl on Feb. 17.
CONVERSATIONAL PRACTICE
46. Speak about situations concerning oil and gas production /transportation in the world using the Active Vocabulary and the expressions below:
| § I think we should … | § It would be better to … |
| § I (don’t) agree | § I like …/ I quite like …/ I really like … |
| § I (don’t) think it’s a good idea to … | § It is important to … |
| § A good way to … is to … /The best way to … is to … | § I don’t mind … |