Pennsylvania natural gas production from horizontal wells continues to decline
Monday, December 19, 2022
Pennsylvania natural gas production from horizontal wells saw a 0.8% drop during the third quarter when compared to the same period in 2021, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Pennsylvania natural gas production totaled 1.88 Tcf or 20.6 Bcf/d during the third quarter, marking the third straight quarter where output did not rise year-over-year, according to Natural Gas Intelligence. It was also the strongest year-over-year decline in quarterly production since this data started being published in 2015.
Despite the drop in production, 11,119 producing wells were reported in Pennsylvania at the end of the third quarter, which was 4.1% year-over-year increase from 2021.
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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.