The Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-09-10, Page 24PAGE 2A —GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1986
Feature
Canada's natural gas pipeline system not
only ensures warm houses in our cold
climate, but also brings natural gas to filling
stations for natural gas powered vehicles.
More and more people are accepting
natural gas as an economical alternative to
gasoline. Eventually, many vehicles will
run on natural gas alone.
The key to change lies in supply and
distribution. At the moment, refueling sta-
tions equipped to supply natural gas are
limited. In Ottawa for instance, only one
public natural gas outlet exists on the out-
skirts of the city.
The picture is different for Vancouver,
Toronto and Montreal, where many more
stations are in operation and under
construction.
Most of Canada's natural gas comes from
fields in Alberta and British Columbia. New
exploration, however, has discovered vast
supplies off the east coast and beneath the
Arctic. Despite the region's hostile environ-
ment and distance from the marketplace,
geologists continue to comb the Arctic for its
t!rfl
gas is icon,ical
tive to �;asali
hydrocarbon resources because of the
potential for massive rewards.
Large reserves of natural gas have
already been found in the Arctic Islands, the
Beaufort Sea and Mackenzie Delta and the
Nova Scotia Offshore.
In some ways, today's geologists are little
changed from the prospectors that Robert
Service described as "crimped and goug-
ed", who stalked the "howling wilderness
and the haggard Arctic heights". They wear
hiking boots, carry little hammers, and-
sleep
ndsleep outdoors for weeks at a time when
searching for hidden minerals.
In other ways, things have changed
draruatiCally. Today's geologist examines
Free book contains.
Money -saving tips on how you can reduce
your vehicle's fuel consumption and
lengthen its life span will be available free -
of -charge in The Car Economy Book from
Energy, Mines and Resources Canada.
Since 1978, The Car Economy Book
( previously known as The Car Mileage
Book) has provided thousands of Canadians
with simple guidelines on how to buy, drive
and maintain new and used cars, in an
energy-efficient, money -saving manner.
The book demonstrates how improved
driving habits and common sense
maintenance routines can result in substan-
images from remote sensing satellites and
conducts photographic and magnetic
surveys of the land before donning field
garb to carry out seismic work. But Itthe lat
move is always the same: drilling.s
fact, the only way to locate the gas.
Gas trapped in rocks beneath the earth is
under great pressure and at high
temperatures. When a well is drilled, both
temperature and pressure drop
as the gas
rises to the top of the well.
In addition to methane, natural gas con-
tains propane, butane, pentane and other li-
quids which condense at the surface. From
the well, the gas is piped topro essin
is song
plant where the separation prac
tinued, and the gas is often cooled to ex-
tremely cold temperatures so that valuable
trace hydrocarbons can be stripped away
for other uses.
After processing, the natural gas is car-
ried by pipeline to consumers throughout
the country. Since the first small pipelines
were built in Alberta and Ontario in the
1940s they have proved to be durable and
cost effective.
Today, outlets for refueling natural gas
vehicles need only tap into these existing
pipelines to establish a supply source.
Drivers pulling up at the pump for a
natural gas refill may find it takes slightly
longer and has to be done more frequently,
money -saving tips to reduce fuel
tial savings for vehicle owners.
Did you know, for example, that
underinflated tires wear out faster, waste
fuel and are potentially dangerous?
According to The Car Economy Book, tire
pressure should be checked at least twice a
month, before you drive, and should be in-
flated to pressures specified in your car
owner's manual. This simple procedure
alone could reduce fuel costs by 4 per cent.
Removal of snow tires early in the spring -
and the use of radial rather than bias ply
tires are also proven methods of reducing
fuel consumption.
Another money -saving tip is to use the
car's flow-through ventilation instead of
windows or air conditioning.
Use of air conditioning in stop -and -go
driving increases fuel consumption by 8 to
12 per cent, according to The Car Economy
Book.
Furthermore, air conditioning units affect
fuel consumption even when not operating,
as they add weight to the vehicle.
Careful planning of trips can also reduce
fuel costs. Often several errands can be ac-
complished in a single trip. (An estimated 30
per cent of fuel costs is spent on trips of less
than 8 km).
And why not share the ride and costs with
others? Ridesharing decreases fuel con-
sumption, traffic congestion and exhaust
emissions.
Planning also allows a driver time to
reach a destination. Driving `against the
clock' leads to speeding, sharp braking and
unnecessary acceleration. all of which in-
crease fuel consumption and wear and tear
on the vehicle.
Maintaining posted highway speeds, ac-
celerating strongly but smoothly when
merging with traffic, avoiding sudden starts
but these are minor inconveniences when
balanced against the financial savings.
Since its molecules are widely separated,
it would normally take a large amount of
space to store natural gas. To provide a
vehicle with enough fuel to travel a
reasonable distance, the gas must be com-
pressed into a smaller space.
Expensive high-capacity compressors are
required to squeeze a large volume of
natural gas into the storage cylinder in a
motorist's trunk. Fleet vehicles that return
to a warehouse at night can be filled with a
cheaper slow -fill system.
In future, home owners may use the gas
that heats their houses to refuel their family
cars while they are sleeping.
As time goes by, Canadians will come to
rely more heavily on naturalas as a safe,.
versatile, and economical fuerthat is abun-
dant in Canada. New supply outlets are spr-
inging up in larger metropolitan areas,
substantially reducing our dependence on
gasoline.
consumption
and stops and anticipating changes in traffic
flow will all contribute to fuel and cost
savings.
The best advice in the book, however, is to
drive only when necessary. Walking, biking
and public transit are all viable alternatives
to the family car.
The new Car Economy Book will be
available in September 1986. For a free copy
write to the Communications Branch,
Energy, Mines and Resources Canada, 8th
Floor, 580 Booth St., Ottawa, Ontario K1A
0E4.
FUEL FO
THOU
Energy, Mines and
Resources Canada
Hon. Marcel Masse,
Minister
From the time humans first learned to walk, we have constantly
been looking for new and better means of mobility — and
new sources of energy to make our mobility even more efficient.
For example, at Expo 86 in Vancouver this year, you can
see Canada's first magnetically powered rapid transit system.
You can also find out more about alternative fuels for your car, such
as propane, natural gas, and even alcohol. And an entire fleet
of electrically powered vehicles wili visit Expo 86.
Find out what's next.
Keep informed and up to date on current technology and
the future of transportation energy.
Write: Fuel for Thought
ENERGY, MINES AND RESOURCES CANADA
580 Booth Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A0E4
You'll be surprised to find out what's coming...perhaps sooner
than you might think.
It pays to be informed.
Energie, Mines et
Ressources Canada
L'Hon. Marcel Masse,
Ministre