West Virginia claims foothold in US natural gas industry
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Over the last decade, West Virginia has become the seventh-largest natural gas producer in the United States, according to Rigzone.
Natural gas production in West Virginia has reached a record every year for the last 10 years, reaching 1.8 Tcf in 2018. The state now accounts for 5-6% of total U.S. output, with a foothold in both the Marcellus and Utica shale plays.
Additionally, West Virginia a key supplier to surrounding areas during the winter months when usage peaks 40-60 percent.
Learn more: Rigzone > West Virginia emerging as a natural gas powerhouse
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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.