Pennsylvania posts largest year-over-year decline in natural gas production to close 2022
Wednesday, March 15, 2023
Pennsylvania’s natural gas production dropped 5.1% in the fourth quarter of 2022. The decline was the largest year-over-year drop since monthly reporting began, according to Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office.
The fourth quarter marked the fourth consecutive that production did not increase when compared to a year prior, according to Natural Gas Intelligence.
Unconventional drilling in Pennsylvania yielded 1.856 Tcf during the fourth quarter of 2022, which was down from 1.956 Tcf during the same period in 2021. Additionally, the state’s oil and gas operators produced 7.4 Tcf, which was a 1.6% decrease from 2021.
Learn more: Natural Gas Intelligence > Pennsylvania Posts Largest Annual Decline in Natural Gas Production
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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.