Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (815 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
A combustible, gaseous mixture of low-molecular weight paraffin hydrocarbons, generated below the surface of the earth. It contains mostly methane and ethane with small amounts of propane; butanes; and higher hydrocarbons, and sometimes nitrogen; carbon dioxide; hydrogen sulfide; and helium. (from McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed)
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Shale Gas; Gas, Shale; Gas, Natural.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Fossil Fuels
- See also
- Oil and Gas Fields
Related concepts
- Paraffin
- Methane
- Ethane
- Propane
- Butanes
- Nitrogen
- Carbon Dioxide
- Hydrogen Sulfide
- Helium
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 1,593 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Natural Gas” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 767 of them (48.1%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2010-2019 with 831 records.
Reviews account for 116 records (7.3%) and meta-analyses for 0. Randomized controlled trials number 1 (0.1%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 0 |
| 2000-2009 | 0 |
| 2010-2019 | 831 |
| 2020 onward | 767 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 116 | 7.3% |
| Meta-analyses | 0 | 0.0% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 1 | 0.1% |
Method: PubMed query "Natural Gas"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in public health and nutrition
Population and nutrition studies mostly observe what people eat, breathe or are exposed to and then look for links with health, which shows association and not proof of cause. Self-reported diet is imprecise, people who eat or live differently also differ in other ways, and effects measured across a population may not apply to one person. Check the study design, how exposure was measured, what else was accounted for and the size of the effect, not only whether it was statistically significant.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
Birth outcomes and maternal residential proximity to natural gas development in rural Colorado [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundBirth defects are a leading cause of neonatal mortality.
- Closing excerpt
- Greater specificity in exposure estimates is needed to further explore these associations.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (242 words)
BackgroundBirth defects are a leading cause of neonatal mortality. Natural gas development (NGD) emits several potential teratogens, and U.S. production of natural gas is expanding.ObjectivesWe examined associations between maternal residential proximity to NGD and birth outcomes in a retrospective cohort study of 124,842 births between 1996 and 2009 in rural Colorado.MethodsWe calculated inverse distance weighted natural gas well counts within a 10-mile radius of maternal residence to estimate maternal exposure to NGD. Logistic regression, adjusted for maternal and infant covariates, was used to estimate associations with exposure tertiles for congenital heart defects (CHDs), neural tube defects (NTDs), oral clefts, preterm birth, and term low birth weight. The association with term birth weight was investigated using multiple linear regression.ResultsPrevalence of CHDs increased with exposure tertile, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.3 for the highest tertile (95% CI: 1.2, 1.5); NTD prevalence was associated with the highest tertile of exposure (OR = 2.0; 95% CI: 1.0, 3.9, based on 59 cases), compared with the absence of any gas wells within a 10-mile radius. Exposure was negatively associated with preterm birth and positively associated with fetal growth, although the magnitude of association was small. No association was found between exposure and oral clefts.ConclusionsIn this large cohort, we observed an association between density and proximity of natural gas wells within a 10-mile radius of maternal residence and prevalence of CHDs and possibly NTDs. Greater specificity in exposure estimates is needed to further explore these associations.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc0 licence; © the authors. PMID 24474681 · DOI · PMC3984231
Perinatal outcomes and unconventional natural gas operations in Southwest Pennsylvania [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Unconventional gas drilling (UGD) has enabled extraordinarily rapid growth in the extraction of natural gas.
- Closing excerpt
- While the clinical significance of the differences in birth weight among the exposure groups is unclear, the present findings further emphasize the need for larger studies, in regio-specific fashion, with more precise characterization of exposure over an extended period of time to evaluate the potential public health significance of UGD.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (226 words)
Unconventional gas drilling (UGD) has enabled extraordinarily rapid growth in the extraction of natural gas. Despite frequently expressed public concern, human health studies have not kept pace. We investigated the association of proximity to UGD in the Marcellus Shale formation and perinatal outcomes in a retrospective cohort study of 15,451 live births in Southwest Pennsylvania from 2007-2010. Mothers were categorized into exposure quartiles based on inverse distance weighted (IDW) well count; least exposed mothers (first quartile) had an IDW well count less than 0.87 wells per mile, while the most exposed (fourth quartile) had 6.00 wells or greater per mile. Multivariate linear (birth weight) or logistical (small for gestational age (SGA) and prematurity) regression analyses, accounting for differences in maternal and child risk factors, were performed. There was no significant association of proximity and density of UGD with prematurity. Comparison of the most to least exposed, however, revealed lower birth weight (3323 ± 558 vs 3344 ± 544 g) and a higher incidence of SGA (6.5 vs 4.8%, respectively; odds ratio: 1.34; 95% confidence interval: 1.10-1.63). While the clinical significance of the differences in birth weight among the exposure groups is unclear, the present findings further emphasize the need for larger studies, in regio-specific fashion, with more precise characterization of exposure over an extended period of time to evaluate the potential public health significance of UGD.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 26039051 · DOI · PMC4454655
Design and Rationale of the HAPIN Study: A Multicountry Randomized Controlled Trial to Assess the Effect of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Stove and Continuous Fuel Distribution [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundGlobally, nearly 3 billion people rely on solid fuels for cooking and heating, the vast majority residing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
- Closing excerpt
- 1289/EHP6407.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (192 words)
BackgroundGlobally, nearly 3 billion people rely on solid fuels for cooking and heating, the vast majority residing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The resulting household air pollution (HAP) is a leading environmental risk factor, accounting for an estimated 1.6 million premature deaths annually. Previous interventions of cleaner stoves have often failed to reduce exposure to levels that produce meaningful health improvements. There have been no multicountry field trials with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stoves, likely the cleanest scalable intervention.ObjectiveThis paper describes the design and methods of an ongoing randomized controlled trial (RCT) of LPG stove and fuel distribution in 3,200 households in 4 LMICs (India, Guatemala, Peru, and Rwanda).MethodsWe are enrolling 800 pregnant women at each of the 4 international research centers from households using biomass fuels. We are randomly assigning households to receive LPG stoves, an 18-month supply of free LPG, and behavioral reinforcements to the control arm. The mother is being followed along with her child until the child is 1 year old. Older adult women (40 to ConclusionsThis study will provide evidence to inform national and global policies on scaling up LPG stove use among vulnerable populations. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6407.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc0 licence; © the authors. PMID 32347766 · DOI · PMC7228119
Study on plugging law and plugging removal effect of pre filled screen in natural gas hydrate argillaceous silt reservoir [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- To address the issue of production decline caused by natural gas hydrate blockage in offshore screen pipes, optimization experiments for high-efficiency rotary water jet backflushing technology were conducted.
- Closing excerpt
- These findings offer valuable insights for optimizing the backflushing process of offshore natural gas hydrate screen pipes.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (155 words)
To address the issue of production decline caused by natural gas hydrate blockage in offshore screen pipes, optimization experiments for high-efficiency rotary water jet backflushing technology were conducted. The outer pressure and permeability of the screen pipes were used as criteria to assess backflushing effectiveness. The study examined the effects of various factors, including the type of backflush tool, tool movement speed, screen pipe type, and the presence of perforated pipes. The results revealed that, compared to high-pressure and low-pressure rotary spray guns, the high-pressure cavitation jet rotary flushing tool provided the best backflush performance. Backflushing effectiveness was higher at a tool movement speed of 1 m/min than at 2 m/min. Additionally, 30/40 mesh screen pipes demonstrated significantly better backflush performance than 40/70 mesh pipes. Screen pipes with perforated pipes showed lower backflush effectiveness compared to those without. These findings offer valuable insights for optimizing the backflushing process of offshore natural gas hydrate screen pipes.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42241428 · DOI · PMC13235890
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article A critical review of the risks to water resources from unconventional shale gas development and hydraulic fracturing in the United States [5]
- Research article Impact of shale gas development on regional water quality [6]
- Research article Potential public health hazards, exposures and health effects from unconventional natural gas development [7]
- Research article Bioconversion of natural gas to liquid fuel: opportunities and challenges [8]
- Research article Organic Pollutants in Shale Gas Flowback and Produced Waters: Identification, Potential Ecological Impact, and Implications for Treatment Strategies [9]
- Research article Environmental health impacts of unconventional natural gas development: a review of the current strength of evidence [10]
Full-text reviews on EvidenceLib
Open-access review articles about this topic, reproduced in full with authors, licence and references.
A Systematic Review of the Epidemiologic Literature Assessing Health Outcomes in Populations Living near Oil and Natural Gas Operations: Study Quality and Future Recommendations
Alison M. Bamber, Stephanie H. Hasanali, Anil S. Nair et al. · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2019 · CC BY 4.0
References
- McKenzie LM, Guo R, Witter RZ, Savitz DA, Newman LS, Adgate JL. Birth outcomes and maternal residential proximity to natural gas development in rural Colorado. . 2014. PMID 24474681 · DOI · PMC3984231
- Stacy SL, Brink LL, Larkin JC, Sadovsky Y, Goldstein BD, Pitt BR, et al.. Perinatal outcomes and unconventional natural gas operations in Southwest Pennsylvania. . 2015. PMID 26039051 · DOI · PMC4454655
- Clasen T, Checkley W, Peel JL, Balakrishnan K, McCracken JP, Rosa G, et al.. Design and Rationale of the HAPIN Study: A Multicountry Randomized Controlled Trial to Assess the Effect of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Stove and Continuous Fuel Distribution. . 2020. PMID 32347766 · DOI · PMC7228119
- Shi H, Shi J, Du W, Ning F, Xie W, Zhang R, et al.. Study on plugging law and plugging removal effect of pre filled screen in natural gas hydrate argillaceous silt reservoir. . 2026. PMID 42241428 · DOI · PMC13235890
- Vengosh A, Jackson RB, Warner N, Darrah TH, Kondash A. A critical review of the risks to water resources from unconventional shale gas development and hydraulic fracturing in the United States. Environ Sci Technol. 2014. PMID 24606408 · DOI
- Vidic RD, Brantley SL, Vandenbossche JM, Yoxtheimer D, Abad JD. Impact of shale gas development on regional water quality. Science. 2013. PMID 23687049 · DOI
- Adgate JL, Goldstein BD, McKenzie LM. Potential public health hazards, exposures and health effects from unconventional natural gas development. Environ Sci Technol. 2014. PMID 24564405 · DOI
- Fei Q, Guarnieri MT, Tao L, Laurens LM, Dowe N, Pienkos PT. Bioconversion of natural gas to liquid fuel: opportunities and challenges. Biotechnol Adv. 2014. PMID 24726715 · DOI
- Butkovskyi A, Bruning H, Kools SAE, Rijnaarts HHM, Van Wezel AP. Organic Pollutants in Shale Gas Flowback and Produced Waters: Identification, Potential Ecological Impact, and Implications for Treatment Strategies. Environ Sci Technol. 2017. PMID 28376616 · DOI · PMC5415876
- Werner AK, Vink S, Watt K, Jagals P. Environmental health impacts of unconventional natural gas development: a review of the current strength of evidence. Sci Total Environ. 2015. PMID 25461113 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.