The leaks at well sites (Associated Press: “Trump rollback would ease rules on methane gas,” Sept. 12, The Columbian) are not a pure gas; the gas is raw natural gas and its composition varies in different locations. Raw natural gas is primarily methane gas, usually at least 65 percent, but it also includes many other hydrocarbons, water, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen, helium, and other gases.
In regards to global warming, how does it work? Laboratory studies show that the larger the molecule, the better able it is to absorb light and increase its temperature. Most air (approximately 99 percent) is nitrogen and oxygen, which are both two-atom molecules, with a small amount of argon, which is a single atom. Carbon dioxide and water are both three-atom molecules and are both classified as greenhouse gases.
Methane is a five-atom molecule and has a tremendous ability to absorb energy, far more than carbon dioxide. This is why scientists are concerned about methane leaks. The other hydrocarbons in raw natural gas are ethane (eight atoms), propane (11 atoms), butane (14 atoms) and pentane (17 atoms). The larger molecules make a huge contribution to global warming.
Everything in the air has an impact on the temperature of that air. We need to pay attention to everything that goes into the air.
