Natural gas, oil produced in state replacing coal for electricity

West Virginia coal mining, a shadow of its former self, has competition from within the state: natural gas and oil.

In 2014 one EQT Corp. shale field well in Wetzel County provided enough fuel to generate electricity for 77,322 homes for a  year. Without polluting the air we breathe.

There could be even more natural gas delivered but current pipeline capacity is at 100%.  A $15 billion pipeline expansion has been proposed.

Drillers also extracted more than 8.3 million barrels of natural gas liquids (such as ethane, propane, butane, pentanes) in 2014 and 5.2 million barrels of oil.

 

So some of the financial loss to West Virginia’s economy by coal’s decline is being absorbed by shale natural gas and oil production in the Mountain State.

 

To read the entire article, click on http://www.chron.com/business/energy/article/West-Virginia-natural-gas-production-numbers-6779056.php