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Experiments & Explorations

Fantastic Facts

  • How much methane do cows produce? The average cow’s digestive tract releases 600 liters of methane per day—enough to fill 40 party balloons!

  • How long will the natural gas supplies in the United States last? Based on the rate of current production of natural gas, the United States’ supply is currently expected to last 53 years. The United States actually ranks fourth in the size of its natural gas reserves. Iran has tremendous reserves (1201 trillion cubic feet), followed by Russia (1,139 trillion cubic feet), Qatar (866 trillion cubic feet), Turkmenistan (617 trillion cubic feet), the United States (369 trillion cubic feet), Saudi Arabia (294 trillion cubic feet), and the United Arab Emirates (215 trillion cubic feet).

  • Who invented rotary drills? The Egyptians are credited with a first in drilling technology: they used rotary drilling mechanisms as early as 3000 B.C. In 1500 A.D., Leonardo da Vinci developed a design for a drilling rig that is similar to many of those used today to locate natural gas deposits.


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