Natural gas consists of gaseous hydrocarbons which have been distilled from mineral oils stored in porous strata in the earth. It is found in all oil-producing localities all over the world. Natural gas is obtained from wells and distributed by pipelines. Its chemical composition varies widely, depending on the locality from which it is obtained. The principal constituents of most natural gases are methane (CH4) and ethane (C2H6).

Natural gas finds its principal use in the welding industry as a fuel gas for oxygen cutting and heating operations. The volumetric requirement of natural gas is about 1-1/2 times that of acetylene to produce an equivalent amount of heat.

Natural gas is not suitable for welding due to the oxygen-to-fuel-gas ratio which produces a highly oxidizing flame and prevents the satisfactory welding of  most metals. Many ferrous and nonferrous metals can be braze welded with careful adjustment of flame adjustment and the use of flux.

Natural gas is also used extensively in the chemical industry for the production of acetylene (C2H2), synthetic rubber, and plastics.

X