Look, I remember the first time I tried figuring out how to make gas in Ark. Spent three hours getting eaten by raptors while hauling oil, only to realize I forgot hide. Total nightmare. Gasoline isn't just some optional thing - it's the lifeblood for generators, fabricators, and flamethrowers. Mess this up and you're stuck in the Stone Age while tribe mates roll up in meks. Let's cut through the confusion.
Gasoline vs. Condensed Gas: Know What You Actually Need
First things first: when folks ask "how do you make gas in ark," they usually mean gasoline for machines. But Aberration players might need condensed gas for hazmat suits. Different beasts entirely. I'll break both down so you don't waste hours like I did on Scorched Earth.
Gasoline (The Standard Fuel)
This runs your industrial gear. Without it, say goodbye to:
- Powering up fabricators for advanced gear
- Keeping generators humming (lights out? No turrets!)
- Firing industrial forges for mass metal production
- Using chem benches for explosives (raiding 101)
Condensed Gas (Aberration-Specific)
Green, glowy, and absolutely essential if you're playing Aberration. Used for:
- Crafting hazard suits (without these, radiation zones will melt you)
- Making charge batteries (power for glow pets and tech gear)
- Crafting glow sticks (sounds lame, but crucial in dark zones)
The Gasoline Blueprint: From Dino Hide to Power Source
Alright, let's get practical. Making gasoline isn't rocket science, but resource gathering? That's where Ark punches you in the teeth.
| Resource | How to Get It | Pro Tips (Save Yourself Time!) |
|---|---|---|
| Oil (5 per gasoline unit) | - Underwater nodes (West Coast Island maps) - Trilobites (beginner beach option, 5-15 oil each) - Oil rocks in snow/arctic biomes - Oil pumps on oil veins (late game) | Tame a Dunkleosteus. Seriously. They harvest oil from nodes like a combine harvester through wheat. Ankylos work too but slower. |
| Hide (5 per gasoline unit) | - Kill anything with fur/scales - Use chainsaw for massive yields (but needs gasoline first - classic Ark catch-22) | Farm alpha raptors. They drop 100+ hide and prime meat. Two birds, one stone. |
Got the goods? Now craft it:
- Throw oil + hide into any forge (refining forge works early, industrial forge for bulk)
- Add fuel to the forge (wood or thatch)
- Light it up - no fancy engrams needed
- Wait 30 seconds per 5 gasoline in refining forge (industrial is 4x faster)
Personal rant: Why does the industrial forge need 15 gasoline just to turn on? Feels like Ark trolling us. Stockpile first!
Condensed Gas Collection on Aberration
Totally different process. No crafting - it's about harvesting gas nodes. But you can't just waltz in unprotected...
| Step | Action | Danger Level |
|---|---|---|
| Gear Up | Hazmat suit REQUIRED (radiation damage hits 50 HP/sec!) | ☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️ |
| Find Gas Vein | Look for swirling green clouds in Bioluminescent/Radiation Zones | ☠️☠️ (if suit breaks) |
| Place Gas Collector | Craft costs: 75 metal, 25 cement paste, 15 crystal | ☠️ (watch for ravagers) |
| Collect Output | Each collector holds 100 condensed gas (refills every 10 mins) | ☠️☠️ (multiple trips) |
Pro Tip: Place 4-5 collectors on one vein. Reduces risky collection trips. Lost two suits my first week because I was cheap with collectors.
Gas Burning Rates: What Eats Your Fuel Fastest
Nothing worse than waking up to dead turrets because generators ran dry. Here’s what drains your tanks:
| Item | Gasoline Consumption | Real-World Impact (1 Gas = 5 mins) |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Generator | 1 gas / 30 mins | Lasts 2.5 hrs per full stack (100 gas) |
| Industrial Grill | 1 gas / 20 pieces of meat | Cook 2k meat? That’s 100 gas gone |
| Chainsaw | 1 gas / 60 seconds of use | 5 mins of tree-cutting = 5 gas! |
| Flamethrower | 1 gas / 3 seconds firing | Burn through 100 gas in 5 mins of chaos |
See why tribes hoard this stuff? Run a fabricator for an hour and kiss 12 gasoline goodbye. Always overproduce.
Gasoline Shortcuts & Alternative Sources
Grinding oil and hide gets old fast. Here’s how smart survivors bypass the slog:
Oil Alternatives
- Oil Pump (Requires Tek Tier): Place on surface oil veins (e.g., Snow Biome Island). Collects 1 oil every 8 seconds passively. Game-changer if you can unlock it.
- Basilosaurus Blubber: Kill these ocean whales for blubber that refines to oil. 1 blubber = 5 oil in industrial cooker. My go-to before Tek.
Hide Alternatives
- Gacha Crystals (Extinction): Feed stone to gachas for chance at hide crystals (500+ hide each).
- Pelagornis (Island/Shores): Kill these birds for insane hide rates - way better than raptors.
Warning: "Gas Balls" in Genesis aren’t gasoline. They’re aquatic grenades. Learned that the hard way when my supposed "gasoline stockpile" blew up my raft.
Troubleshooting Gas Production Issues
We’ve all been there. You throw resources in the forge... and nothing happens. Here’s why:
Common Problems & Fixes
- Forge Won’t Start? Check fuel slot - needs wood/thatch, not just oil/hide!
- Industrial Forge Not Working? Requires direct connection to electrical outlet or Tek generator. Pain in the neck, I know.
- Gas Collector Empty? Aberration gas veins deplete for 10-15 mins after collecting. Place multiple collectors.
- Hazmat Suit Melting in Gas? Durability drains fast - always carry 200%+ durability suits and materials for field repairs (fiber + hide).
Gas FAQ: What Players Actually Ask
Can you make gas without hide?
Nope. Hide’s non-negotiable for gasoline. But you CAN use spoiled meat instead of hide at a 2:1 ratio (10 spoiled meat = 5 hide). Useful early game when you’re swimming in rotten flesh.
How much gas does an industrial forge hold?
Holds 100 gasoline simultaneously - but eats 15 gas just to turn on. Stockpile before mass smelting. I learned this after wasting 200 metal ore waiting for ignition.
Where to farm oil early game?
Trilobites on beaches (~10 oil each) or underwater nodes at 20-50 depth. Use an Ichthyosaur with oxygen leveled - safer than scuba-less dives with megalodons lurking.
Why isn’t my gasoline stacking?
Gasoline made in different forges creates separate stacks. Transfer all to inventory and manually stack. Annoying? Absolutely. Blame Ark’s janky inventory system.
Gasoline Math: Production Rates by Method
| Method | Time per 100 Gas | Resource Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refining Forge | 50 minutes | 100 oil + 100 hide | Solo players / starter bases |
| Industrial Forge | 12 minutes | 100 oil + 100 hide + 15 gas ignition | Tribes with metal bases |
| Chemistry Bench | 40 minutes | 100 oil + 100 hide (but no ignition cost) | Electricity-rich bases |
Quick opinion: Industrial forge wins despite the ignition tax. That speed difference saves hours during big crafting sessions. Worth the gas investment.
Advanced Tactics: Gasoline in Tribe Economy
In my old alpha tribe, gasoline was currency. Here’s how pros manage it:
- Designate a "Gas Mule" Dino (e.g., Paracer with platform saddle + storage boxes). Holds 20k+ resources for massive batches.
- Automate with Dedicated Refiners - 6+ industrial forges near oil pump = 500 gas/hour.
- Trade Leverage - 1k gasoline = 10k metal ingots on most PvP servers. Seriously.
Final tip: Always store gas in vaults or heavies. Nothing worse than raiders stealing your 10k gas stockpile because you left it in a wooden box. Trust me. That mistake cost me a tribe leadership position once.
Why Gas Mastery Wins Ark
Mastering how do you make gas in ark separates survivors from rulers. Forget fancy rexes - if your generator dies during a raid, you’re done. Stockpile efficiently, use industrial forges religiously, and for Aberration players, hoard hazmat suits like apocalypse coupons. Now get out there and fuel your empire.
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