<P> Natural gas was discovered accidentally in ancient China , as it resulted from the drilling for brines . The natural gas was used to boil brine to make salt . Natural gas was first used by the Chinese in about 500 BC ( possibly even 1000 BC ) . They discovered a way to transport gas seeping from the ground in crude pipelines of bamboo to where it was used to boil salt water to extract the salt , in the Ziliujing District of Sichuan . The world 's first industrial extraction of natural gas started at Fredonia , New York , United States , in 1825 . By 2009 , 66 000 km3 ( or 8 % ) had been used out of the total 850 000 km3 of estimated remaining recoverable reserves of natural gas . Based on an estimated 2015 world consumption rate of about 3400 km3 of gas per year , the total estimated remaining economically recoverable reserves of natural gas would last 250 years at current consumption rates . An annual increase in usage of 2 -- 3 % could result in currently recoverable reserves lasting significantly less , perhaps as few as 80 to 100 years . </P>
<P> Natural gas was discovered accidentally in ancient China , as it resulted from the drilling for brines . The natural gas was used to boil brine to make salt . Natural gas was first used by the Chinese in about 500 BC ( possibly even 1000 BC ) . They discovered a way to transport gas seeping from the ground in crude pipelines of bamboo to where it was used to boil salt water to extract the salt , in the Ziliujing District of Sichuan . The world 's first industrial extraction of natural gas started at Fredonia , New York , United States , in 1825 . By 2009 , 66 000 km3 ( or 8 % ) had been used out of the total 850 000 km3 of estimated remaining recoverable reserves of natural gas . Based on an estimated 2015 world consumption rate of about 3400 km3 of gas per year , the total estimated remaining economically recoverable reserves of natural gas would last 250 years at current consumption rates . An annual increase in usage of 2 -- 3 % could result in currently recoverable reserves lasting significantly less , perhaps as few as 80 to 100 years . </P>
when was natural gas first used for energy
when was natural gas first used for energy
about 500 BC ( possibly even 1000 BC
about 500 BC ( possibly even 1000 BC