Characteristics of Natural Gas Practice Test 2026 - Free Natural Gas Questions and Study Guide

When soil freezes, the pore spaces fill with ice, which greatly reduces permeability and blocks the pathways gas would normally use to move upward. Gas moves through soil mainly by buoyancy through a connected network of pores; freezing disrupts that network, so gas migration is slowed or halted. The frozen layer effectively acts as a cap at ground level, preventing leaking gas from rising until thawing occurs or pressure finds another path.