The good part about transition metal catalysts is that they are found everywhere. Metal can be hidden underground in the form of ore, or it may be found in rocks as well. Interestingly, these metals can be found in the same sedimentary rocks that contain natural gas. So, why not use the metals in the rock to catalyze a reaction that results in some hydrocarbons and natural gas? That's exactly what Frank D. Mango and his researchers did, with successful results.
So what does the reaction comprise of? The researchers react hydrogen with n-alkenes (alkenes are unsaturate hydrocarbons, look here for more info). This reaction is indeed catalytic, as the researchers showed that without the metals in the sedimentary rock, the reaction does not occur as quickly.
The positives of the reaction are that normally, for thermal cracking, environments of 500 degrees Celcius are required, while catalytic reactions require 200 degrees Celcius. Furthermore, thermal cracking does not bring out the true composition of natural gas, which is usually 90% Methane (CH4). Catalytic reactions, however, bring out mostly methane, thus using the natural gas to its full potential. In relatively moderate conditions, Mango shows that a catalytic approach to extracting natural gas from sedimentary rocks is also possible, and is a viable alternative to thermal cracking, the method normally used.
Thus, the above experiment connects perfectly with what we are learning in chemistry today. There are two approaches to everything--thermodynamic and kinetic. In this case, the kinetic approach is shown over the thermodynamic approach. Rather than using temperature and heat to do the job, catalysts are used. The Catalysts make the reaction faster, and does not require as much heat for completion.
