a

Accident free

Having no accidents.

Air-conditioning

Machines used to keep buildings cool Natural gas can be used in air-conditioning systems.

Aluminium

A strong, light metal. Your mummy wraps your sandwiches in aluminium foil.

Ammonia

A chemical made from natural gas. Ammonia is used to fertilise plants. It is also used in cleaning liquids, like the one you use in the kitchen.

Arc-eye

Damage to the eye that can be caused by some very bright lights. This is why you must never look at welding operations.

Associated gas

Gas that is found in the same place as oil is called wet gas or associated gas.

Atoms

Very small particles of matter.

b

Butane

Butane is one of the gases in the natural gas stream. It is used in cigarette lighters.

c

Call first

Call first before you dig near an NGC pipeline marker!

Carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is one of the gases found in natural gas. The bubbles in your soft drink are made by carbon dioxide.

Caution tape

NGC buries caution tape above its pipelines to let you know to stop digging when you see it. The tape is yellow. The word CAUTION is printed on it in black.

Compression

Natural gas is pumped into the pipeline. This is called compression. This means that a of of gas is squeezed into a small space, to make it go faster through the pipelines.

Condensate

Small drops of liquid natural gas is called condensate. It is removed from the pipeline and sold.

Construction

Building or creating. Always be careful when pipelines are under construction near you.

Consumers

A consumer is a company that uses natural gas. NGC sells natural gas to over 100 consumers.

Cooling

Making temperatures lower, so you feel more comfortable. Some large buildings use natural gas in their air-conditioning or cooling systems.

Corrosion

Rusting. NGC takes care to avoid corrosion or rust, which can cause pipelines to crack or burst.

Cracking

Different gases are separated from the gas stream by a process called cracking.

Crude oil

Crude oil is the state in which oil is found before it is processed.

Cubic feet

Natural gas is measured in cubic feet. This is a unit of volume. A cubic foot of natural gas fits in a space that’s one foot wide by one foot long by one foot deep. This is about the size of a football.

d

Development

Growing or advancing. NGC contributes to the development of Trinidad and Tobago by supplying gas for electricity generation and to many factories and other consumers.

Digging

Digging near a natural gas pipeline can be dangerous, because the pipeline might get damaged. If you see anyone digging near a pipeline Right of Way, without NGC personnel present, call NGC on 800-4GAS.

Distribution

Small pipelines that leave the larger transmission pipelines and go to consumers are called distribution lines.

Drilling

To use a machine to dig deep into soil and rock. In Trinidad and Tobago, drilling is done for both oil and gas.

e

Economical

Bringing good value compared to the amount of money you spend. Natural gas is the most economical fossil fuel. This means you can get more heat from burning natural gas than you can from other fossil fuels like oil or coal.

Efficient

Getting the best result with the least effort or waste. Natural gas is a cheap and efficient fuel. It burns cleanly and leaves very little waste behind.

Emergency number

This is the number you call when you need help. Write down NGC’s emergency number (800-4427) and keep it nearby.

Encroachment

Taking up someone else’s space. Planting crops or building houses on NGC’s Right of Way (the area where the pipes are run), is called encroachment, and it’s both unsafe and illegal.

Energy

The strength needed to do things. All living things and machines need energy in order to function. We also need energy to make machines work.

Environmentally responsible

Causing the least harm to the environment. Natural gas is an environmentally responsible form of energy. It doesn’t leave much waste behind, and doesn’t create as much greenhouse gases as other fuels do.

Ethane

Ethane is one of the gases found in the natural gas stream. It is used to make ethylene, a raw ingredient in making plastic.

Ethylene

A raw ingredient in making plastic.

Evacuate

To leave a dangerous area quickly. If there is a serious gas leak in your area, you will be asked to evacuate.

Expand

To make larger. NGC is always expanding its pipeline network.

Exploration

To find out new things about an area. Exploration often leads to the discovery of more natural gas.

Export

To ship goods overseas.

f

Feedstock

A raw ingredient. Natural gas is a feedstock in making ammonia, urea and methanol.

Fertiliser

Ammonia and urea are both fertilisers, and are made from natural gas. Fertilisers make plants grow.

Field worker

People who work out in the open air. NGC field workers wear orange coveralls with the NGC logo.

Fields

Areas where oil or gas are found in abundance are called fields.

Flammable

Can catch fire easily. Natural gas is flammable.

Follow the rules

To do as you are told. If you follow the rules of natural gas safety, you and your community will be safe.

Fossil fuel

Fossil fuels, like natural gas, oil and coal, were formed millions of years ago by the remains of dead plants and animals.

Fuel

Fuels contain energy to make things go.

g

Gas field

An area where natural gas is found underground. Many gas fields in Trinidad are named after trees, flowers and animals.

Gas resources

The gas that is in the ground, waiting to be removed. NGC helps ensure that the natural gas resources of T&T are best used to the benefit of all citizens.

Gasolene

Natural gasolene is a liquid fuel found in the gas stream. It is removed and sold to refineries like Petrotrin.

Generate electricity

To create electricity using machines. Natural gas is used to generate electricity.

Greenhouse gas

Greenhouse gases are released when many fossil fuels are burned They can harm the ozone layer. Natural gas releases less greenhouse gases than the other fossil fuels like oil or coal, and thus does much less harm to the environment.

h

Heating

In cold countries, natural gas is used for heating buildings.

Hotline

A hotline is an emergency telephone number. NGC’s hotline 800-4GAS (800-4427) is operated 24 hours a day.

Hydrocarbon

Natural gas and oil are called hydrocarbons because they are made up of hydrogen and carbon atoms.

i

Industrial site

An industrial site is an area set aside for large factories. Point Lisas is the largest industrial site in the country.

Industry

Getting together to offer services or make goods for sale. NGC has contributed a lot to local industry by selling gas that is used to make many products.

Invisible

Difficult or impossible to see. Natural gas is invisible, like air.

Iron

A common metal that is used in making many goods. Natural gas is used to heat the furnaces when making iron and steel.

Iron ore

Iron ore is a raw ingredient in making iron.

l

Landslides

Slipping of the land due to heavy rains or earthquakes. Landslides can cause pipeline ruptures.

Leak

An accidental hole that allows liquid or gas to escape. If you see bubbles in puddles of water where a gas pipeline is buried, that may mean there is a leak.

Liquefied Natural Gas

Natural gas that is converted to a liquid by freezing and storing in pressurised containers. It is also called LNG.

Low cost energy

Natural gas is a form of low cost energy.

m

Market development

Creating new businesses in the country. NGC is responsible for natural gas market development in T&T.

Methane

A simple hydrocarbon. Methane is the main component of natural gas.

Methanol

Methanol, which is made using natural gas as feedstock or a raw ingredient, is used to make many things, including paint and varnish.

MMscfd

MMScfd stands for millions of standard cubic feet per day. This is how natural gas in measured.

n

Natural gas chain

A series of stages that take a raw material to the final product. The natural gas chain starts with production from the gas field, to transportation, to use by consumer.

Natural gas liquids

Natural gas liquids are liquid hydrocarbons that are found with the gas. They are removed from the pipeline and exported.

Nitrogen

Nitrogen is a gas found in the natural gas stream. It is used to make ammonia and urea.

o

Odourless

Having no smell. Natural gas is odourless.

Offshore

Out at sea, away from the coast. NGC’s offshore compression platforms are called Teak and Poui.

Orange coveralls

NGC’s field employees can be identified by their orange coveralls.

p

Pentane

Pentane is a very heavy gas found in the natural gas stream.

Petrochemical

Chemicals made from fossil fuels like oil and gas. Ammonia, urea and methanol are called petrochemicals.

Phoenix Park Gas Processors

Phoenix Park Gas Processors Limited removes heavy gases (such as butane, propane and pentane) and liquids from the natural gas stream. They are also called PPGPL.

Pipelaying

Welding pipes together and burying them underground.

Pipeline

A long hollow pipe through which gases or liquids flow. NGC transports its natural gas through pipelines.

Pipeline marker post

A signpost that lets you know where the pipelines run. NGC’s pipeline marker posts are yellow.

Plastics

Materials that can be moulded when warm into different shapes. Many plastics are made from natural gas.

Platform

A raised horizontal surface. Natural gas is compressed on a platform.

Polyethylene

Polyethylene is a type of plastic that can be made from natural gas. It is often used to make plastic bags.

Polymers

Polymers are sets of carbon and hydrogen molecules strung together like a chain. They are the “building blocks” from which plastics are made.

Popular fuel

A fuel that many people use because of its properties. Natural gas is one of the most popular fuels in the world.

Poui

NGC named the Poui platform after this beautiful tree.

Power generation

To create electricity using machines. T&T uses natural gas for power generation.

Pressure

Force used to push a substance into a smaller space. Natural gas is transported through pipelines under pressure.

Producers

Companies that find gas offshore and pump it into pipelines. NGC buys natural gas from producers and sells it to over 100 consumers.

Production

Natural gas production has increased over the past few years.

Propane

One of the gases found in the natural gas stream. It is often used for cooking.

r

Reserves

The amount of natural gas believed to exist underground.

Reservoirs

Natural pockets in the rock where gas or oil can be found.

Right of Way

The path along which the pipeline runs is called a Right of Way.

Rotten eggs

Sometimes, NGC puts a substance in the gas stream that smells like rotten eggs. This is called an odourant, and can help you tell if there’s a leak.

Rupture

When a pipeline is burst or damaged, it’s called a rupture.

s

Safety

Being free from harm. Your safety is always the most important thing for NGC.

Security

Free from theft or interference. NGC is very serious about the security of the pipeline.

Slug catcher

A machine used to remove puddles of natural gas liquids (called slugs) from the gas stream.

Spark

A tiny flash of light and energy. If there is a gas leak, even a tiny spark from a telephone, match or electrical switch can cause a fire.

State enterprise

NGC is a state enterprise. This means it is a business owned by the government.

Steel

A form of iron hardened with carbon. Steel is made in furnaces heated using natural gas.

Subsea

Beneath the surface of the sea. A pipeline that runs under the sea is called a subsea pipeline.

Sweet gas

Natural gas with very little hydrogen sulphide. Most of the gas found in Trinidad and Tobago is sweet gas.

t

Teak

One of NGC’s gas compression platforms is named after the strong Teak tree

Third party damage

Damage caused by persons other than NGC and their consumers, carrying out unauthorised activity. Most of the damage to NGC’s pipelines is third party damage.

Transmission

NGC’s large cross-country pipelines are called transmission lines. Smaller lines that go to consumers are called distribution lines.

u

Underground

Beneath the surface of the ground. NGC buries its pipelines as much as 6 feet or 2 metres underground to keep them safe from damage.

Urea

Urea is a solid, white, granular fertiliser made with ammonia and carbon dioxide.

v

Value added

Taking a raw material and turning it into something that has value. Natural gas can be turned into ammonia, and then used on plants, to grow crops, thus creating something valuable that everyone can use.

Vehicular fuel

Fuel that makes cars go. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is a cheap vehicular fuel.

Volume

The amount of space occupied by a substance. Natural gas is measured in cubic feet, a unit of volume. For further explanation, see “cubic feet” higher up in this list.

w

Warning

A message informing of danger. Always pay attention to warning signs, like NGC’s yellow marker posts.

Welding

Joining pieces of metal using heat. Never look at welding operations; you might hurt your eyes.

Wet gas

Gas that is found in the same place as oil is called wet gas or associated gas.

y

Yellow tape

NGC places yellow tape above its pipelines to warn you not to dig any further.