Methane is also found in coal beds. Uses T he main uses for natural gas are as a fuel, and as a raw material in manufacturing. In homes it fuels furnaces, water heaters, clothes dryers, and cooking stoves. It is used in brick, cement, and ceramic-tile kilns, in glass making, generating steam in water boilers and as a heat source for sterilizing instruments and processing foods. I n petrochemical manufacturing, it can be used in the production of Methanol and ammonia.
Ammonia is particularly useful as the main source of nitrogen in fertilizers.
Ammonia can also be used to create other chemicals like nitric acid. Natural Ethane extracted from gas can also produce ethylene, which is used in manufacturing plastics and other synthentic materials. O ne of the main benefits of natural gas is that it is clean-burning, and as a result, less harmful to the environment than coal or oil. Because of this, many power companies use natural gas as a fuel for the generation of electricity. Also, using natural gas in cars and other vehicles reduce pollution from the exhaust from gasoline and diesel fuel.