Utica and Marcellus shales play a role in U.S. natural gas surge
Friday, July 10, 2015
United States natural gas production stands at about 75 billion cubic feet per day. To put that in perspective, the U.S. produced an average of 58 bcf/d in 2008.
Forbes reports that natural gas is abundant, cleaner, cheaper, reliable and can cut greenhouse gas emissions. This explains why there has been a surge in exploration and production in shale plays across the U.S. In Ohio and Pennsylvania, the Utica and Marcellus shale plays are pivotal in the changing of pipeline infrastructure to meet market demands.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts that by 2020, natural gas could supply a third of the country’s electricity.
Leave a Comment
Marcellus & Utica Shale Well Map
Additional Shale Maps
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.