Egoli Gas

To many, natural gas is thought of as being the most important energy source of the future. The abundance of natural gas coupled with its environmental soundness and multiple applications across all sectors, means that it will continue to play an increasingly important role in meeting demand for energy in the years to come.

A hugely versatile energy source, natural gas has a number of applications in our daily lives including domestic uses like home heating and cooling, cooking, fuel for transportation, steam heat production, electrical generation manufacturing and industrial uses like producing steel, glass, forest products, clothing, cement, fertilizer and petrochemicals, and creating polyethylene polymers, which is the most widely used plastic.

To date the natural gas industry has helped generate billions of dollars in revenue, created millions of jobs and as the cleanest burning fossil fuel, has the potential to reduce the harmful emissions generated by oil and coal. Abundant supplies of this domestic resource will provide a secure and stable energy future while reducing greenhouse gas emissions for generations to come.

Based in Johannesburg, Egoli Gas is a natural gas reticulator, servicing more than 8,500 domestic, central water hearing, commercial and industrial businesses in the metropolitan area of South Africa’s most populated city. The company offers environmentally-friendly, safe, reliable and energy-efficient natural gas and is committed to providing an uninterrupted flow of natural gas, ready to use when it's needed, safely.

Egoli Gas acquires its natural gas from integrated energy and chemical company Sasol. This gas is stored at a secure facility in Langlaagte where it is carefully monitored and controlled. The gas is reticulated to Egoli Gas' Cottesloe premises where it's stored in low pressure holders before being reticulated to homes and business across the city.

In order to service the needs of its 6,000 plus domestic customers the company has established locations across the majority of Johannesburg’s larger suburbs, however its pipeline infrastructure extends much further afield, a fact that is crucial to servicing its commercial and industrial clients.

Johannesburg actually holds the distinction of being the only South African city to possess piped gas infrastructure. Originally managed by the Johannesburg Council's Department of Water and Gas which, from 1928, operated from Cottesloe, the city`s gas infrastructure relied on highly pollutant, hydrogen-rich, coal based gas for a number of decades. It wasn’t until during 2004 and 2005 that the entire pipeline network, as well as approximately 35,000 individual gas fired pieces of equipment of consumers, was successfully converted from hydrogen-rich coal based gas to methane rich, natural gas due to the change specification of gas by the supplier. As such, Egoli Gas' footprint now extends from Midrand in the north to Orange Farm in the south and from Roodeport in the west to Bruma in the east.

There are a host of benefits when it comes to using natural gas as an energy source, benefits that are clearly appealing to both domestic and commercial users as Egoli Gas’ customer base continues to grow. Arguable at the top of the list of plus points for domestic users are the cost savings associated with its use. Natural gas is widely recognised as being more efficient and effective than many other energy sources, and it has the ability to reduce one's monthly power costs by as much as 50 percent.

As has been well documented numerous times in the past, natural gas is also a much more environmentally friendly alternative than many other sources of energy. Releasing 45 percent less carbon dioxide into the air than other forms of energy, natural gas is the cleanest burning fossil fuel. It is also seen as a much safer form of fuel, seeing as it is colourless, soot-less and sulphur-free, and being lighter than air it naturally disperses upward when leaked.

In the last five years Egoli Gas has made national headlines by signing a number of on-going multimillion-Rand contracts with various businesses wanting to implement alternative energy solutions. As part of some of these contracts the company has since implemented solutions for the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, financial services provider Absa, cellular network provider MTN and, more recently, financial institution Standard Bank South Africa's Rosebank business centre.

Amid rising power costs and climate change concerns, Egoli Gas says it is committed to helping companies reduce their carbon dioxide emissions and electricity burden. It also aims to improve the promotion of natural gas as an alternative form of energy for the greater Johannesburg metropolitan area.

In South Africa, the natural gas industry competes with electricity, coal, heavy and light fuel oil, liquid petroleum gas, paraffin, as well as diesel. As a proponent of natural gas, Egoli Gas believes the benefits of its product far outweigh those of other types of energy sources, especially as it is one of the safest, cleanest and most efficient forms of energy. Moreover, natural gas requires low maintenance and can be used domestically and commercially, with industrial applications ranging from steam processes to power generation.

"We believe in supporting the initiatives of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa and the City of Johannesburg in meeting the growing demand for energy in the area," the company states.

www.egoligas.co.za

Written by Will Daynes, research by Paul Bradley