Natural gas outpaces coal in West Virginia
Monday, November 10, 2014
In West Virginia, coal has been outperformed by natural gas production lately, according to The Herald Star.
Described as a mature industry, coal was heavily mined 40 to 50 years ago. Now, coal seams are harder to reach, and coal isn’t considered as environmentally acceptable as natural gas.
West Virginia is projected to produce 100 million tons of coal a year and nearly 500 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year by 2020.
From The Herald Star:
“Although coal production is down throughout West Virginia, research by Deskins and his team shows the decline is steeper in the southern portion of the state. Southern West Virginia miners produced about 125 million tons of coal in 2002, but are projected to only yield about 70 million tons this year.”
Via: The Herald Star > Gas taking coal’s place in W.Va. economy
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.