The U.S. oil and gas industry has experienced its share of tough times recently, including dropping rig counts and layoffs of workers. However, it continues to hang on led by the Marcellus and Utica shale plays.

According to the Financial Times, the U.S. averaged 22.63 billion cubic feet per day from the Utica and Marcellus shales through August. Production was up 2 percent in August — the most since February’s all-time high of 22.78 billion cubic feet per day.

Although earlier government studies found that combined gas output from the Utica and Marcellus shales would decline, producers have maintained volumes by tapping inventories of drilled but incomplete wells and burrowing deeper wells that yield more gas, according to Metal Miner. Technological developments have allowed producers to increase output through efficiency.

Learn more: Metal Miner > Resilience: U.S. tight oil, gas far from being in decline