M3101 - Manufacturing, transmission and distribution of natural and artificial gas including propane

Operational Details
Gas plants are operated near gas fields and wells. Gathering systems or flow lines transmit or transport the gas to the nearest gas plant surrounding the plant. Compressor stations may be used to re-introduce sufficient line pressure so the gas flows efficiently to the processing plant.

Gas plants incorporate technology similar to refineries and petrochemical plants for the purpose of removing sulfur and water prior to distribution to market.

Natural gas, in its simplest form, is a mixture of gases found in the earth’s crust (often in conjunction with petroleum), it is basically a mixture of hydrocarbons, chiefly methane, with ethane, butane and propane.

Before the gas is transported to storage tanks and to customers, butane and propane are removed through a distillation process. The by-products are liquefied and bottled to form “bottled gas”. Natural gas is also liquefied for transport and storage and is used where other fuels are scarce or too expensive.

When a gas plant operator transmits or distributed their product, it forms part of the industry.
Workers in a gas plant include: operators, maintenance staff, research analysts, chemical and petroleum engineers, gas well attendants, instrumentation personnel, etc. Most often, the head office is some distance from the actual processing plant. It houses the marketing, administrative and other non-field personnel.

SIC Codes
000000502 - Natural gas mfg., transmission, dis
000000504 - Propane gas mfg., transmission, dis
000000503 - Artificial gas mfg., transmission