Natural Gas

Natural gas is the earth’s cleanest traditional fuel, with numerous practical uses. Natural gas heats homes, offices and hospitals. It also generates electricity, powers appliances and fuels cars and buses.

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Natural Gas is Essential

Natural gas is an essential part of America’s energy mix. Natural gas supplies nearly one-quarter of all the energy in the United States. AGA members distribute natural gas to homes, businesses, power plants, and factories.

Cleaner Energy

By the Numbers

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189 Million

Nearly 189 million Americans use natural gas because it is affordable, reliable, safe and essential to improving our environment.

70%

Emissions from natural gas distribution systems have dropped 70% since 1990.

1+ per minute

More than one new residential customer signs up for natural gas service every minute, and approximately 60 businesses begin new natural gas service every day.

AGA Playbook

Featured Resource

The AGA Playbook tells the story of an industry delivering the reliable energy that Americans depend upon. AGA invites customers, policymakers, and anyone invested in our clean energy future to flip through the pages of the AGA Playbook to learn more about the commitment of America’s natural gas utilities to affordability, the environment, innovation and safety.

2025 Playbook

What Is Natural Gas?

Natural gas is the earth’s cleanest fossil fuel and is colorless and odorless in its natural state. It is composed of four hydrocarbon atoms and one carbon atom (CH4 or methane). When it burns, natural gas produces mostly carbon dioxide, water vapor and small amounts of nitrogen oxides.

The Origins of Natural Gas

The natural gas we find and use today began as microscopic plants and animals living in shallow marine environments millions of years ago. As living organisms, they absorbed energy from the sun, which was stored as carbon molecules in their bodies. When they died, they sank to the bottom of the sea and were covered by layer after layer of sediment. As this organic feedstock became buried deeper in the earth, heat, combined with the pressure of compaction, converted some of the biomaterials into natural gas.

From the Ground to You

Production companies then explore, drill and extract natural gas from the ground.

Transmission companies operate the pipelines that link the gas fields to major consuming areas. 

Distribution companies are the local utilities that deliver natural gas to the customer.

Environment

AGA’s Climate Change Commitment

AGA is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through smart innovation, new and modernized infrastructure and advanced technologies. This pledge includes 10 commitments to further reduce methane emissions from natural gas utility systems. It also includes eight principles for an effective national policy approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change.

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