How Shale Gas May Change the Gasoline You Buy at the Pump

Shale drilling may play an important role in the gasoline you purchase at the pump. No, not because compressed natural gas (CNG) will replace gasoline--that frankly isn't happening any time soon. Other hydrocarbons come out of the ground along with methane--or what we call natural gas. Those other hydrocarbons are oil and NGLs--natural gas liquids. NGLs can be further separated into their component parts--ethane, pentane, propane and butane. It is butane that may play a role in the gasoline you buy at the pump. It all has to do with "alkylation." Let us explain...

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