Natural gas: indispensable hydrocarbon or enemy of the planet?

By Rosanety Barrios

"From the sublime to the ridiculous there is only one step." Napoleon Bonaparte

At the level of the common citizen, natural gas (a hydrocarbon composed mainly of methane), is perceived to be of little relevance, perhaps as a result of the fact that only 7% of families consume it for heating water and cooking. It is generally unknown that it is used to generate approximately 60% of our electricity and that it is the second source of energy for industry (the first is electricity), which makes it relevant for the development of the country and, therefore, for all Mexican families.

During the first two decades of the 21st century, natural gas was considered the transition fuel. That is, the one that was to replace coal and oil, since it emits half the CO2 and is competitively priced, especially since its production soared, thanks to hydraulic fracturing technology, adopted on a large scale in the United States of America.