Hydrocarbon gas liquids are primarily derived from which of the following sources?

Hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGLs) primarily come from natural gas and crude oil. These gases are produced during the refining process of crude oil and can also be extracted from natural gas processing. HGLs include components such as propane, butane, and ethane, which are valuable for various applications, including fuels and petrochemical feedstocks.

Natural gas is primarily composed of methane, but during the extraction and processing phases, lighter hydrocarbons are separated out, forming HGLs. Similarly, in crude oil refining, various separation processes like distillation yield HGLs as byproducts. The processes involved in extracting these hydrocarbons from both sources are well established, making them the primary contributors to HGL production.

Other options are diverting from the proper sources; coal and minerals primarily relate to solid fuel sources, nuclear reactions pertain to energy generation using atomic processes, and biodegradable waste focuses on organic materials that decompose. Hence, none of these options represent the actual sources of hydrocarbon gas liquids.