Celebrity Prestige Journal

How do they add the smell to natural gas?

Author

Michael Green

Updated on September 04, 2026

Natural gas is an efficient, safe, colorless and odorless gas. For easy detection, we add a harmless chemical called mercaptan to give gas a distinctive odor. Most people describe the smell as rotten eggs or hydrogen sulfide like odor. It smells bad for a good reason - in case of a gas leak!

Similarly one may ask, when did they add smell to natural gas?

1880s

Also, which gas is added in natural gas for smell? Mercaptan

Then, how do they put the smell in natural gas?

Believe it or not, in its original form, natural gas is actually undetectable to the human nose. Instead, an additive called “mercaptan” is added to the fuel, giving natural gas that rotten egg smell.

How much is mercaptan in natural gas?

At all times the odorant must be handled properly. The simple answer to this question is that mercaptan is not harmful at the levels used when odorizing natural gas. The nose can detect mercaptan at a 1.6 PPB (parts per billion), and the typical range of odorants in natural gas ranges from 0-10 PPM (parts per million).

Is natural gas toxic?

While natural gas is considered the safest and cleanest fossil fuel for domestic and industrial use, there are inherent dangers to remember. Natural gas is non-toxic (non-poisonous), but can cause death by suffocation if the gas displaces the air in a confined space.

Can mercaptan make you sick?

Exposure to methyl mercaptan may cause immediate irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, and shortness of breath, as well as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and tearing of the eyes. Exposure to methyl mercaptan can also cause nausea and vomiting and dizziness, headache, and lack of coordination.

Why is sulfur added to natural gas?

A harmless gas called mercaptan is added to natural gas to make it smell like rotten eggs (or sulphur).

What do they put in propane to make it smell?

Propane is a colorless and odorless gas, therefore an odorant, currently ethyl mercaptan, is added to allow for its detection. This smell resembles that of rotten eggs.

Is mercaptan toxic?

Methyl mercaptan (CASRN 74-93-1; CH₄S), also known as methanethiol, is a toxic, extremely flammable, colorless gas with a smell similar to rotten cabbage. It occurs naturally in the blood and brain, and in other animals and plant tissues. It is one of the main chemicals that cause bad breath and the odor of flatulence.

What is formed by the complete combustion of natural gas?

Pure natural gas (CH4 or methane) produces carbon dioxide and water vapor when it is combusted. Coal (some include less than 50% carbon) produce carbon dioxide, water vapor and nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, etc.

What type of mercaptan is used in natural gas?

2-Propanethiol, commonly known as isopropyl mercaptan (IPM) is used as an odorant for natural gas usually in mixtures containing tert-butylthiol. Ethanethiol (EM), commonly known as ethyl mercaptan is used in Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and resembles odor of leeks, onions, durian, or cooked cabbage.

Why do I smell gas all the time?

Brief episodes of phantom smells or phantosmia — smelling something that's not there — can be triggered by temporal lobe seizures, epilepsy, or head trauma. Sufferers report smelling hydrogen sulfide (rotten eggs), bad perfume, garbage, a gas leak, wet dog, pungent body odor or spoiled fish or feces.

Is there a natural gas detector?

Natural GasSo in the case of a potential gas leak, your single best detector is your own nose. You can supplement your power of smell with a natural gas alarm, many of which will also test for propane and carbon monoxide.

Is natural gas poisonous to breathe?

While exposure to low levels of natural gas is not harmful, long-term exposure can affect your health. Burning natural gas produces nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, and methane. These chemicals can trigger respiratory problems, depression, and decrease the quality of your health.

Is it normal to smell gas outside your house?

Known as mecaptan or methanethiol, this substance is harmless but pungent-smelling; it is often described as having an odor like rotten eggs or rotting cabbage. If you can smell this odor in your home, it is likely that you have a gas leak.

Why does it smell like rotten eggs?

Rotten EggsThe two most common sources of a rotten egg smell are a natural gas leak, and escaping sewer gas. That's why utility companies inject a substance called mercaptan, which emits an odor that smells like sulfur or rotten eggs. If there's a very strong smell, you could have a substantial natural gas leak.

How long does it take gas to dissipate?

How long does it take for gas to dissipate in the line? About 5 minutes is plenty. Just make sure to read up on how many threads the gas lines should be.

Why does my house smell like sewer?

When we smell this gas in homes, many times it's caused by a small problem, such as a dried out water seal in a floor drain. Other times a sewer gas smell is a sign of a bigger problem, such as a broken sewer or vent stack. Diagnosing this problem can be simple or complicated, depending on the cause of the problem.

Will a carbon monoxide detector detect a gas leak?

No, carbon monoxide detectors will not detect natural gas leaks. A carbon monoxide detector will only detect carbon monoxide unless otherwise stated. However, natural gas companies often put an additive in the natural gas to give it a distinct odor. This makes it easy to detect a gas leak.

Do they put smell into gas?

Natural gas is an efficient, safe, colorless and odorless gas. For easy detection, we add a harmless chemical called mercaptan to give gas a distinctive odor. Most people describe the smell as rotten eggs or hydrogen sulfide like odor. It smells bad for a good reason - in case of a gas leak!

Where is mercaptan added natural gas?

Here's some background, courtesy of Chevron Phillips Chemical: mercaptans are required (by state and federal regulations) to be added to the gas stream near points of consumption as well as in pipelines that are near areas with certain population density requirements, per Department of Transportation regulations.

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