The
Marcellus Shale natural gas may replace coal as the leading economic driver in
West Virginia.
Since 2012, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio accounted
for 85 percent of U.S. shale gas growth, which is two-thirds of U.S. natural
gas production.
Wetzel County is No. 1 with 191 wells. Marshall County is
second with 185 wells and Harrison is third with 184 wells. The top counties
for reserves are Harrison, Wetzel and Doddridge in West Virginia.
The natural gas is sold in Virginia, the Carolinas, New
England, the Gulf Coast, St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit and Ontario. Soon it will
be heading to American and Canadian ports to be turned into liquefied natural
gas and shipped in tankers to Europe and Asia.
Drilling began in the Marcellus Shale in 2003 in
Pennsylvania. It followed in West Virginia.
14,022 shale wells have been drilled in the Utica-Marcellus
from southern West Virginia to Ohio and Pennsylvania. West Virginia had 31 rigs
in 2013.
$150 billion has been invested in the process.
Meanwhile, coal output in West Virginia has fallen 34% since 2008.
Meanwhile, coal output in West Virginia has fallen 34% since 2008.
No comments:
Post a Comment