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What is natural gas?
Natural gas is a fossil fuel consisting mainly of methane, the simplest hydrocarbon. It is formed by the decomposition of prehistoric vegetable and animal matter, and trapped in porous rock formations beneath the surface of the earth. Other compounds of natural gas include ethane, propane, and butane.
Natural gas is lighter than air, and this fact enhances its safety. Unlike other fuels such as diesel, petrol or LPG, which are heavier than air, should a natural gas leak occur, the gas will readily dissipate into the atmosphere. This eliminates the risk of the fuel accumulating or pooling at ground level and causing a greater risk or hazard.
Natural gas is colourless and odourless when it is extracted from the earth, and an odorant is added for safety, before it is piped to consumers, as a ready means of leak detection. An average person can easily detect the smell of gas at a concentration as low as 0.3% by volume in air. That concentration is about 5 times lower than the level that will support combustion.
Natural gas will not explode in the presence of a flame until it reaches a very specific concentration in the air - below a certain level it is deemed too lean to burn and above a certain level it may be too rich to burn. Within a flammable range, the gas will ignite and may cause an explosion.
The flammable range is expressed by Lower Explosive Limit (“LEL”) and Upper Explosive Limit (“UEL”). The LEL is the concentration of natural gas in the air below which the propagation of a flame will not occur on contact with an ignition source. The natural gas LEL is 5%. This means that, in most cases, the smell of gas would be detected well before combustion conditions are met. The UEL is the concentration of natural gas in the air above which the propagation of a flame will not occur on contact with an ignition source. The natural gas UEL is 15%.
Natural gas has no known toxic or chronic physiological effects (that is, it is not poisonous). Exposure to a moderate concentration may result in a headache or similar symptoms due to oxygen deprivation but it is likely that the smell would be detected well in advance of concentrations being high enough for this to occur.
It is an ideal fuel for many applications:
- Residential - cooking, heating and hot water
- Commercial – cooking, heating, drying and hot water
- Industrial - processing and manufacturing
- Power generation
Approved Gas Appliances
 Click on image to enlarge | Only certified gas appliances may be supplied by natural gas. The Australian Gas Association (“AGA”) runs a scheme of appliance certification that meets the requirements of the Office of the Technical Regulator under the Gas Act 1997. Gas appliances are classified as Type A and Type B, with Type A being mainly domestic appliances. Type B are commercial or industrial applications, often custom built.
Type A gas appliances must be certified and appropriately labelled before they can be sold and installed. Gas fitters are aware that they may only install certified products. The label is a promise by the manufacturer that the appliance is identical to a sample appliance of the same type certified by the AGA. Most household natural gas appliances will contain a blue label, or “Maker’s Warranty” badge (pictured). Domestic barbeques will contain a red label. (Domestic barbecues may be connected to natural gas or LPG).
The appliance will also carry a manufacturer’s data plate, which contains the number of the Certificate issued by the AGA certifying the appliance.
Use only appliances certified for natural gas with natural gas. Do not connect appliances certified for LPG to natural gas installations, and do not connect natural gas appliances to LPG.
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Only use Licensed Installers
Only a contractor licensed to work on gas fittings is entitled to install gas appliances. You must only use a licensed installer whenever you need to have work done on a gas installation. They carry an identity card, with a photograph, stating their licence status and what work they can perform
The licensing of gas contractors is the responsibility of the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs (“OCBA”). The Office of the Technical Regulator works closely with the OCBA on licensing and inspection issues, to provide technical expertise.
Care of your gas appliances
- Always have gas appliances serviced according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
- Take care with your gas appliances – do not leave clothes, papers or any flammable material near burners.
- Always ensure any permanent ventilation openings are not blocked.
- Do not operate natural gas appliances on any other type of gas. Operating an appliance on the wrong type of gas can be extremely hazardous.
- Do not tamper with safety valves or similar fittings on your appliances. Do not use force to open taps.
- Only use your appliances for the purpose for which they were designed. For example, do not use an oven to heat your rooms or dry your clothes.
- Keep a gas oven and hot plates clean – do not allow fat and burned food to build up.
- Turn gas heaters off when you leave the house or go to sleep.
- If your heater is not working properly or the flue is not removing all pollutants, the level of combustion products in your home can become too high, and you can become tired or short of breath. You may develop headaches, dizziness, nausea and weakness. You could also become sleepy and/or confused. If you suspect your heater may be causing these symptoms, turn it off and call a licensed gasfitter.
Using gas safely
Whenever you smell gas in the street or outside your home, call the distributor’s 24 hour emergency gas number, which is 1800 808 526 (Origin Energy).
Before you turn off your meter, turn off appliances inside the house and ensure pilot lights are off. Find your gas meter, on an outside wall of your home or near the front boundary. Turn the control tap on the meter to the horizontal position. The tap is “off” when the handle is horizontal.
If you think you have a leak after the meter and on pipe work leading to your home or connecting your appliances, or on a section of pipe work connecting your appliances, or on the appliances themselves, you can contact any licensed gasfitter to check and repair the leak. Always contact a licensed gasfitter for this work.
There are some Do’s and Don’ts if you smell gas inside your home:
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- Contact your licensed gasfitter
- Turn off all appliances and pilot lights
- Turn off supply at the gas meter
- Open doors and windows for ventilation
- Call 000 in the event of an emergency
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- Work on any gas pipes or appliances yourself
- Use a naked flame in the area
- Operate an electric fan in the area
- Operate any electrical appliances in the area
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