Colombia is among the Latin American countries that produce the most natural gas

Gas is a natural resource in high demand worldwide due to its importance in various sectors. It is essential for activities such as cooking, industrial production, electricity generation and vehicle operation.

The fuel, like gas, is extracted from subway deposits found in different countries around the world. The level of technology varies between nations in terms of production of this resource. Today, many nations are seeking cleaner sources of energy as part of their environmental sustainability efforts.

According to Statista figures as of 2021, the nations that have produced the most natural gas, using cubic meters as the unit of measurement, are:

• United States: 934 billion cubic meters.
• Russia: 701 billion cubic meters.
• Iran: 256 billion cubic meters.
• Qatar: 117 billion cubic meters.
• Canada: 172 billion cubic meters.
• China: 180 billion cubic meters.
• Australia: 147 billion cubic meters.
• Saudi Arabia: 96 billion cubic meters.
• Indonesia: 85 billion cubic meters.

It is important to keep in mind that these figures may vary over time due to changes in production and discovery of new fields.

In Latin America, the countries that have had outstanding natural gas production, according to Statista data as of 2021, are:

• Mexico: 29 billion cubic meters.
• Brazil: 24,000 million cubic meters
• Colombia: 12.6 billion cubic meters.

Natural gas has become an indispensable element for both families and industries around the world, due to the fact that it is a source of energy:

• Energy source: Natural gas is a versatile and abundant energy source that is used in various sectors, such as electricity generation, heating and cooling of buildings, industrial production and as fuel for vehicles. It is a reliable and efficient energy source.
• Lower environmental impact: Compared to other fossil fuels such as coal and oil, natural gas emits less carbon dioxide and other air pollutants. It is considered a cleaner option in terms of emissions, which contributes to climate change mitigation and improved air quality.
• Energy transition: Natural gas has played an important role in the energy transition to cleaner energy sources. It is used as a cleaner alternative to coal in electricity generation, which helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Flexibility and storage: Natural gas is easy to store and distribute through pipeline networks, allowing for greater flexibility in its use and supply. In addition, natural gas can be liquefied and transported in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for use in locations where there is no pipeline infrastructure.
• Economic stability: Natural gas is a significant source of income for many producing countries, which contributes to their economic stability and development. In addition, its availability and price.

After several hours without gas in Cali, service was restored. Firefighters had to attend more than 16 fires

The fire department reported more than one hundred emergencies in the city of Cali in the last 24 hours. Sixteen of these cases occurred during the reestablishment of natural gas service and eight corresponded to structural fires. Precisely, one of them occurred in the Petecuy neighborhood, due to the overheating of a natural gas hose.

The events occurred specifically on 77th Street and Carrera D1 corner, where a bakery caught fire due to the overheating of this structure; fortunately, there were no incidents to be regretted, no people were injured and the Fire Department arrived to control the situation.

According to Corporal Marco Antonio Gómez, coordinator of the operations center of the Cali Fire Department, they arrived at the scene with two fire extinguishers, a tank truck and an ambulance. Likewise, with the use of fire extinguishers they managed to control the emergency caused by the natural gas.

However, throughout the hours there were more events related to the reestablishment of the gas service. Due to the explosion of a natural gas heater in an apartment located in the west of Cali, rescuers had to arrive with three fire extinguishers, a height machine and an ambulance to provide assistance.

This last situation occurred on the ninth floor of an apartment in the Santa Teresita neighborhood and injured a person, who burned one of his hands. This is in addition to the nine emergencies attended, related to the reestablishment of the gas service. For this reason, the Fire Department has sent recommendations to the users to avoid more incidents to be regretted.