Producing pure, salable natural gas starts with systems designed to remove contaminants like CO2, H2S, Hg, N2 and He. As the demand for natural gas grows (projected to serve one-quarter of the world's energy demand by 2035), plants set up in more remote and challenging locations. The cost associated with CO2 removal can dramatically reduce profits, as shown in a recent Supreme Court decision in Texas. That decision included CO2 removal in post-production costs, saving one producer $10.5 million. Since CO2 removal is an integral part of going to market, the costs associated with the process fall under the heading of operational — allowing management to consider the most cost-effective ways to implement CO2 removal.

The natural gas in underground reservoirs is not quite the same as the finished product sold on the market. Consumers have no use for gas in its raw state, so it has to undergo several phases of treating and processing before it can be purchased and used.