Natural gas facts

With proper precautions, natural gas is a safe and reliable energy source used in homes and businesses every day. We purchase natural gas on behalf of our customers and then distribute it to the communities we serve. We’re committed to delivering safe, reliable and affordable energy to our customers throughout B.C. while complying with the Government of B.C. regulations.  

Natural gas properties

• Hard to ignite — It's only flammable when the gas-to-air mixture is between five and 15 per cent.
• Measured in gigajoules — One gigajoule (GJ) of natural gas is approximately equivalent to 27 litres of fuel oil, 39 litres of propane, 26 litres of gasoline or 277 kilowatt hours of electricity.
• Lighter than air — It dissipates quickly in well-ventilated areas, unless it becomes trapped in an enclosed space.
• Colourless and odourless — We add an odorant that smells like rotten eggs, so you know if there’s a gas leak.
• Not poisonous — It's not hazardous to ingest small concentrations of natural gas or the mercaptan¹, which is added to the gas to give it its “rotten egg like” odour. However, it can cause unconsciousness in high concentrations when it displaces air.

Hydraulic fracturing, also known as "fracking"

Hydraulic fracturing is the process of pumping fluids down a well under high pressure, thousands of metres below ground-level, generating fractures in the rock formations to allow natural gas to be released and recovered.

Learn more

BC Energy Regulator - Hydraulic Fracturing