DOSSIER: GasBOT

As a member of Canada's Energy BOT Squad here's what you need to know.

I'm super hot. If the country's going to stay powered, it's going to need me. Right now I'm in Goldboro, Nova Scotia where the Sable Offshore Energy Projects' pipeline comes ashore, just trying to stay warm. It's a good thing I have these flaming pigtails. I provide the majority of the country's heat, and while I might not be as good as OilBOT at keeping the country moving, I'm no slouch when it comes to electricity either.

Heating

I'm a superheated powerhouse: natural gas is the main heating fuel in Canada. That's no small job in a country where the mercury races to the bottom of the thermometer.

Transportation

Natural gas isn't commonly used as a transportation fuel, but there are more than 20,000 natural gas-powered vehicles in Canada and refuelling stations located across the county. And with 11.2 million natural gas vehicles around the world, I have potential.

Electricity

I can keep the lights on as well. And I have an advantage: Natural gas-fired electricity generation is the perfect partner for renewable resources like wind and solar. What a show-off...

How much?

I'm pretty resourceful: up to 1,300 trillion cubic feet of natural gas resources, both conventional and unconventional. Canada ranks 20th in the world for natural gas reserves.

Where?

OilBOT and I see each other a lot, since Alberta produces most of the country's natural gas. I'm offshore of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador and I also kick around northeastern British Columbia with "unconventional" sources like shale gas. Quebec has unconventional reserves too.

How does it work?

I'm lucky: natural gas mostly wants to come out on its own - a producing well is basically just a hole in the ground to let gas out. Hydraulic fracturing can also get me to the surface.

Special powers

I'm no slouch when it comes to making things: natural gas is one of the main ingredients in polyethylene, the world's most popular plastic. And with heating skills as hot as mine, you know I can cook a mean steak too.

Global intelligence

Natural gas is produced across the globe, and most of it is found in the Middle East and Russia.

Next: Now you've got to find the third member of the Energy BOT Squad: HydroBot. Here's what we already know: all his recent correspondence has been en Francais.

GasBot