Marcellus Shale Becoming Top US Natural Gas Field

English: Cropped portion of image from USGS re...

English: Cropped portion of image from USGS report showing extent of Marcellus Formation shale (in gray shading). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

PITTSBURGH, PA (AP) — The Marcellus Shale is about to become the most productive natural gas field in the United States, according to new data from energy industry analysts and the federal government.

Though serious drilling only began five years ago, the sheer volume of Marcellus production suggests that in some ways there’s no going back, even as New York debates whether to allow drilling in its portion of the shale, which also lies under large parts of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio.

The top spot for the Marcellus “doesn’t surprise me,” said Jay Apt, a professor of technology at Carnegie Mellon University. “But will it lead to industries that spring up to use that gas?” he asked, adding that much of the bounty could also end up being shipped to Canada, the Gulf Coast or overseas.

In 2008, Marcellus production barely registered on national energy reports. In July, the combined output from Pennsylvania and West Virginia wells was about 7.4 billion cubic feet per day, according to Kyle Martinez, an analyst at Bentek Energy. That’s more than double the 3.6 billion cubic feet from last April, and represents over 25 percent of national shale gas production.

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/marcellus-shale-becoming-top-us-natural-gas-field-1.1355101

Pennsylvania’s Natural Gas Production Up 60 Percent

Cropped portion of image from USGS report show...

Image via Wikipedia

Pennsylvania’s new growth industry, natural gas from the Marcellus Shale formation, has started to take off in a big way.  Figures show production was 60 percent higher for the first six months of 2011 than is was for the last six months of 2010.

Bradford, Susquehanna and Tioga Counties were responsible for over half of the state’s natural gas production.  So far this year, production in Pennsylvania has topped 400 billion cubic feet of natural gas.  There are over 1600 wells tapping the Marcellus Shale gas reserves in Pennsylvania.

The gas industry is not without controversy, despite the economic impact it brings.  Issues with ground water contamination and taxation rage on.