There are two basic types of natural gas. The characteristics that separate wet from dry are technically dependent on the “thermal maturity” of the rock formation.
This is how Penn State University describes the difference between the two:
- Natural gas is known as being dry or wet, with dry gas being more thermally mature and consisting primarily of methane, whereas wet gas is less thermally mature and may contain “natural gas liquids” including ethane, butane, propane, and pentane. These natural gas liquids need to be separated from the methane to ensure the natural gas sent to consumers has a consistent BTU content. Wet gas is currently considered to be more valuable in the marketplace as the natural gas liquids have inherent value as a commodity.
In the Marcellus deposit, you can find both wet and dry gas. To view this on a map click HERE
