Gas cloud harvesting
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Gas cloud harvesting is the process of collecting gas from interstellar clouds, for use in combat booster and Tech III production. It is accomplished by locating a nebula in known space or a fullerite reservoir in wormhole space, and collecting it with a gas cloud harvester module.
Types of gas
The three types of gas are both found in cosmic signatures which need to be probe scanned down in order to harvest.
Mykoserocin
Mykoserocin is used to produce synth variation of combat boosters, and neurolink enhancers, which are part of faction and capital ship production chain. Nebulae with Mykoserocin can be found in high, low and null security space. All of them reside in non-deadspace areas and are not guarded by NPCs.
Please note that list of locations where each Nebula site spawns is not exhaustive. It was expanded and new data is still being added.
Gas Flavor | Nebula Type | Location | Units per Cloud | Total Number of Units |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amber /Blue Pill | Diablo Nebula | Black Rise Malpais Oasa Perrigen Falls The Forge The Kalevala Expanse Vale of the Silent |
1000, 1000, 1000 | 3000 |
Sunspark Nebula | Black Rise Malpais The Forge The Kalevala Expanse |
500, 500 | 1000 | |
Azure /Sooth Sayer | Eagle Nebula | Derelik Heimatar Molden Heath The Bleak Lands Wicked Creek |
1000, 1000, 1000 | 3000 |
Ghost Nebula | Derelik Molden Heath The Bleak Lands |
500, 500 | 1000 | |
Celadon /Exile | Calabash Nebula | Solitude | ? | 1000 |
Glass Nebula | Solitude | ? | 3000 | |
Golden /Crash | Ring Nebula | Black Rise Malpais Oasa The Kalevala Expanse Vale of the Silent |
1000, 1000, 1000 | 3000 |
Smoking Nebula | Black Rise Lonetrek Perrigen Falls |
500, 500 | 1000 | |
Lime /Frentix | Helix Nebula | Derelik Khanid Wicked Creek |
1000, 1000, 1000 | 3000 |
Sister Nebula | Aridia Derelik Wicked Creek |
500, 500 | 1000 | |
Malachite /Mindflood | Blackeye Nebula | Aridia Solitude |
1000 | 3000 |
Wild Nebula | Aridia | 500, 500 | 1000 | |
Vermillion /X-Instinct | Flame Nebula | Heimatar | 500, 500 | 1000 |
Pipe Nebula | Derelik Heimatar Wicked Creek |
1000, 1000, 1000 | 3000 | |
Viridian /Drop | Bright Nebula | Essence Fountain Placid Syndicate |
500, 500 | 1000 |
Sparking Nebula | Essence Fountain Placid Tenal |
1000, 1000, 1000 | 3000 |
A long, long time ago... |
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Mykoserocin used to spawn similarly to Cytoserocin, highly concentrated in a specific constellation of a specific region. This was changed on 2021-04-13, when its spawn locations were significantly extended to accommodate increased demand. List of old spawn locations is below:
Now, these areas don't seem to be special when it comes to gas harvesting. But, each constellation always has a synth booster laboratory, a hacking site which drops synth reactions, among other things. |
Cytoserocin
Cytoserocin is used to produce stronger variations of combat boosters. It is used in neurolink enhancers' production just like Mykoserocin, but amounts needed for that are much more modest. Unlike most exploration sites, nebulae are not randomly distributed throughout space. Each flavor of gas will be concentrated in one constellation of one region, and some regions will never have a cytoserocin nebula appear.
Majority of Cytoserocin nebulae are unstable. Every time a Gas Cloud Harvester finishes its cycle there is a chance that the cloud will "explode", dealing some damage to your ship. For exact numbers and damage types refer to the table below. There, each row represents an individual possibility. Bear in mind that damage area seems to be defined separately from gas cloud area. Depending on nebula type, damage area center might not coincide with the gas cloud center, and damage radius might be bigger or smaller than the cloud's radius as well.
Gas Flavor | Location | Nebula Type | Units per Cloud | Total Number of Units | Cloud Damage | NPCs | Deadspace |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amber /Blue Pill | The Forge (low security systems) | Bandit Nebula | 200, 300 | 500 | None | No | ? |
Vale of the Silent | Fluttering Nebula | 50, 50, 50, 50, 50 | 250 | 1000 thermal | No | No | |
Rocky Nebula | 166, 166, 166, 166, 166 | 832 | 2500 thermal | No | No | ||
Vale of the Silent (E-8CSQ constellation) | Dewy Nebula | 1000, 2000 | 3000 | 1000 EM + 1000 thermal | Yes | No | |
Foggy Nebula | 1500, 1500 | 3000 | 1000 EM + 1000 thermal | Yes | No | ||
Shimmering Nebula | 9000 | 9000 | 1400 thermal | Yes | No | ||
Spacious Nebula | 500, 500, 1000, 1000 | 3000 | No damage 1000 EM + 1000 thermal |
No | No | ||
Azure /Sooth Sayer | Wicked Creek | Crystal Nebula | 50, 200, 250, 250, 250 | 1000 | ? | No | No |
Snowy Owl Nebula | 1000 | 1000 | None | Yes | No | ||
Wicked Creek (760-9C constellation) | Arctic Fox Nebula | 9000 | 9000 | 700 EM 700 thermal |
Yes | No | |
Glistening Nebula | 1500, 1500 | 3000 | 1000 EM + 1000 thermal | Yes | No | ||
Murky Nebula | 1500, 1500 | 3000 | 1000 EM + 1000 thermal | No | No | ||
Celadon /Exile | Solitude (low security systems) | Phoenix Nebula | 200, 300 | 500 | None | No | ? |
Fountain | Flowing Nebula | 1000 | 1000 | ? | No | ? | |
Fountain (Pegasus constellation) | Diamond Nebula | 800, 2200 | 3000 | 1000 EM + 1000 thermal | Yes | No | |
Massive Nebula | 9000 | 9000 | 700 thermal | Yes | No | ||
Peacock Nebula | 1000, 2000 | 3000 | 1000 EM + 1000 thermal | No | No | ||
Golden /Crash | Lonetrek (low security systems) | Profiteer Nebula | 200, 300 | 500 | None | No | No |
Tenal | Swarm Nebula | 200, 200, 200, 200, 200 | 1000 | 1000 thermal | No | ? | |
Tenal (09-4XW constellation) | Lion Nebula | 3000 | 3000 | 1000 EM + 1000 thermal | No | No | |
Shiny Nebula | 1500, 1500 | 3000 | 1000 EM + 1000 thermal | Yes | No | ||
Gaseous Nebula | 9000 | 9000 | 700 EM + 700 thermal | Yes | No | ||
Lime /Frentix | Derelik (low security systems) | Emerald Nebula | 200, 300 | 500 | None | No | No |
Catch | Cheetah Nebula | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 thermal | No | No | |
Catch (9HXQ-G constellation) | Duo Nebula | 2500, 500 | 3000 | 1000 EM + 1000 thermal | No | No | |
Leopard Nebula | 9000 | 9000 | 1400 explosive | Yes | No | ||
Rimy Nebula | 1000, 2000 | 3000 | 1000 EM + 1000 thermal | Yes | No | ||
Malachite /Mindflood | Aridia (low security systems) | Crimson Nebula | 200, 300 | 500 | None | No | ? |
Delve | Cobra Nebula | 50, 50, 50, 50, 50 | 250 | ? | No | ? | |
Crab Spider Nebula | 750, 750, 750, 750, 750 | 3750 | ? | No | ? | ||
Delve (OK-FEM constellation) | Hazy Nebula | 9000 | 9000 | 800 EM + 700 thermal | Yes | No | |
Hidden Nebula | 1500, 1500 | 3000 | 1000 EM + 1000 thermal | No | No | ||
Whirling Nebula | 1500, 1500 | 3000 | 1000 EM + 1000 thermal | Yes | Yes | ||
Vermillion /X-Instinct | Heimatar (low security systems) | Saintly Nebula | 200, 300 | 500 | ? | No | ? |
Feythabolis | Boisterous Nebula | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 thermal | No | ? | |
Feythabolis (I-3ODK constellation) | Cardinal Nebula | 1000, 2000 | 3000 | 1000 EM + 1000 thermal | Yes | ? | |
Red Dragonfly Nebula | 9000 | 9000 | 700 EM 700 thermal |
Yes | ? | ||
Wispy Nebula | 1500, 1500 | 3000 | 1000 EM + 1000 thermal | No | Yes | ||
Viridian /Drop | Placid (low security systems) | Forgotten Nebula | 200, 300 | 500 | None | No | ? |
Cloud Ring | Frosty Nebula | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
Goose Nebula | 150, 150, 200, 250, 250 | 1000 | ? | No | ? | ||
Cloud Ring (Assilot constellation) | Icy Nebula | 500, 2500 | 3000 | 1000 EM + 1000 thermal | Yes | No | |
Pale Nebula | 500, 2500 | 3000 | 1000 thermal | No | No | ||
Polar Bear Nebula | 9000 | 9000 | 800 thermal | Yes | No |
Fullerenes
- Main article: Wormhole Gas Sites
Fullerenes are used in Tech 3 production, and can only be found at sites in wormhole space. It comes in several different flavors of varying value. Fullerite gas sites spawn in all classes of wormhole, but the valuable Instrumental Core Reservoir and Vital Core Reservoir will only spawn in C5 and C6 wormholes, or shattered wormholes of any class.
Most fullerene sites are empty when first warped to, but will spawn several Sleepers after a certain amount of time, usually about 15-20 minutes. Thus, it is possible to "ninja harvest" wormhole gas sites by harvesting gas until the sleepers arrive, and then warping away before they can attack. However, the Ordinary Perimeter Reservoir starts with 5 sentry drones, which will blow up any Venture that warps there, and should be avoided until they are cleared.
Most fullerenes are very profitable, though dangerous to harvest.
Name | Volume (m3) | Found in (# of units) | Value | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Primary | Secondary | |||
C50 | 1 | Barren Perimeter Reservoir (6000) | Sizable Perimeter Reservoir (3000) | Low |
C60 | 1 | Token Perimeter Reservoir (6000) | Barren Perimeter Reservoir (3000) | Low |
C70 | 1 | Minor Perimeter Reservoir (6000) | Token Perimeter Reservoir (3000) | Mid |
C72 | 2 | Ordinary Perimeter Reservoir (6000) | Minor Perimeter Reservoir (3000) | Mid |
C84 | 2 | Sizable Perimeter Reservoir (6000) | Ordinary Perimeter Reservoir (3000) | Low |
C28 | 2 | Bountiful Frontier Reservoir (10000) | Vast Frontier Reservoir (2000) | Mid |
C32 | 5 | Vast Frontier Reservoir (10000) | Bountiful Frontier Reservoir (2000) | Low |
C320 | 5 | Instrumental Core Reservoir (12000) | Vital Core Reservoir (1000) | High |
C540 | 10 | Vital Core Reservoir (12000) | Instrumental Core Reservoir (1000) | High |
Harvesting process
Harvesting a gas cloud is very similar to mining an asteroid. Equip the appropriate harvesting module to a ship, locate a gas cloud, approach and target it, and activate the harvesting module. At the end of each module cycle, gas will be deposited into the cargo hold or ore bay. The visual effect of the harvesters is much more subdued than mining lasers, requiring you to zoom the camera very close to the ship to see.
Make sure you have gas clouds displayed in your overview, as they are not selectable by default. To do this, right click the overview, select open overview settings, select the filter tab, open the celestials folder, and check the Harvestable Clouds box (see screenshot right).
Gas can be stored in the ore holds of specialized mining and hauling ships even though it is not technically an ore. Units of mykoserocin and cytoserocin are bulkier than individual ore units at 10 m3, while the various types of fullerite gas range from 1 to 10 m3. The range of the harvester module is much shorter than a mining laser at only 1.5 km, but the clouds are large and non-collideable.
Skills
Gas harvesting has very few skills related to it. The primary skill is Gas Cloud Harvesting, which can be bought for 30M ISK from the specialized NPC vendors, or marked up PC sell orders. This skill is trainable by alpha clones to level II. This skill requires Mining IV. You can only use one gas cloud harvester per trained skill level. Note that this is very different from normal mining, where the number of mining lasers is not determined by skills. Getting the skill to 5 allows for Tech 2 harvesters to be used, which have 50% increased yield over Tech 1. Gas Cloud Harvesting should be trained either to 2 (to equip two harvesters on a Venture or Prospect) or 5 (to use T2 harvesters).
Additionally, Ventures and Prospects decrease their gas harvesting cycle duration with the Mining Frigate skill. This is the only other skill that increases gas harvesting yield.
General fitting and tanking skills are also recommended in order to safely fly a well fitted harvesting ship.
Equipment
To get gas, you need gas cloud harvesters and a ship to put them on. There very few real options in fitting a gas harvesting ship. Unlike regular mining, there are no modules or rigs to increase yield. There are no gas equivalents to the Mining Laser Upgrade.
Gas cloud harvesters
Gas cloud harvesters are placed in the high slots and require a turret hardpoint. For each level of the Gas Cloud Harvesting skill you can fit one additional gas cloud harvester (up to a total of 5 at skill level V); all gas cloud miners have a range of 1.5 km (the shortest of any of the mining modules by quite a margin). Note that the table below lists yield per minute (to make it easier to compare modules), while most in-game sources will list yield per cycle.
Module | Tech | Meta | Cycle | Yield per cycle |
Yield per minute |
Skill | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gas Cloud Harvester I | I | 0 | 60 | 2 | 30 | 10 | 20 | Gas Cloud Harvesting I |
'Crop' Gas Cloud Harvester | I | 1 | 48 | 2 | 30 | 10 | 20 | Gas Cloud Harvesting I |
'Plow' Gas Cloud Harvester | I | 1 | 30 | 2 | 30 | 10 | 20 | Gas Cloud Harvesting I |
Gas Cloud Harvester II | II | 5 | 70 | 5 | 40 | 20 | 30 | Gas Cloud Harvesting V |
Syndicate Gas Cloud Harvester | ◇ | 6 | 26 | 2 | 30 | 10 | 20 | Gas Cloud Harvesting I |
Click on the column headers to sort the table; mouse over them for a more detailled explanation. More information: Skills - Tech and Meta levels. |
The two meta 1 gas cloud harvesters have lower fitting requirements than the meta 0 module, however, even an average-skilled pilot should have no problem fitting a Venture with two meta 0 gas cloud harvesters. The two meta harvesters are in practice like storyline modules with low fitting and are only available from specific static sites. The tech 2 module has 50% more yield than its tech 1 counterparts, and is therefore a very worthwhile upgrade despite the long skill training time (and the slightly more demanding fitting - although it should still not cause problems for most miners). The Syndicate harvester (obtainable from the Intaki Syndicate LP store), is very rare, expensive, and almost never worth using unless you need every last drop of CPU fitting for other modules.
Ships
While gas cloud harvesters can be mounted on any ship with turret slots, only the Venture and Prospect have bonuses to their use. A Venture with two harvesters and Mining Frigate trained to 4 has the equivalent yield to an unbonused ship with five harvesters. Additionally, it is far more agile than any ship that could fit five harvesters, and has a specialized ore hold for the gas. Thus it is by far the most common ship to use for harvesting gas.
The Prospect has the ability to fit a Covert Ops Cloaking Device, giving it more safety in the hostile environments in which the more valuable forms of gas are found. It also has a larger ore hold for the gas, and a larger regular cargo hold allowing for a mobile depot to be carried. However, it harvests at the same rate as an equivalently skilled Venture, and is considerably more expensive.
Implants
- Main article: Skill Hardwiring
The Eifyr and Co. 'Alchemist' Gas Harvesting is the only implant range which affects gas harvesting. It reduces gas harvester cycle time, and is available in 1%, 3%, and 5% varieties. They are sold in most LP stores.
Gas value
Gas does not have to be refined in order to use it, as ore and ice products do. It can be used in Tech III production by turning it into a polymer using a Standup Hybrid Reactor I (see Tech 3 Production#Polymer Reactions). The difference in value between gasses can be extreme, due to the scarcity of the gas and the value of the end products. While C320/540 is highly valuable, the risk versus reward is often too high for beginners. Many find that a more manageable target is to harvest C50 as the risk is low and the reward is decent. Harvesting C320/540 will normally require several people working together, which usually means using haulers and a dedicated scout.
External links
- Fuzzwork - The Forge Gas prices - measured in isk / Venture load.
- Wormhole Gas Sites (Google Spreadsheet)
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