USGS: 4,100% increase in technically recoverable Marcellus natural gas from 2002

Canonsburg, Pa. – Today, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) – an independent research arm of the Interior Department – released an updated assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable American natural gas from the Marcellus Shale formation, considered to be second largest natural field in the entire world. According to USGS, “the Marcellus Shale contains about 84 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered, technically recoverable natural gas and 3.4 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable natural gas liquids.”

USGS notes that “these gas estimates are significantly more than” its previous 2002 Marcellus assessment, “which estimated a mean of about 2 trillion cubic feet of gas (TCF) and 0.01 billion barrels of natural gas liquids” – representing a 4,100% and 33,900% increase, respectively.

Kathryn Z. Klaber, president and executive director of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, issued this statement upon reviewing the new USGS assessment:

“These new figures are further affirmation that the Marcellus Shale will continue to safely produce prolific amounts of clean-burning American natural gas for generations to come. While advent of shale gas development in the United States was only several years ago, its impact is proving to be profound and lasting.

“Gone are the days of America potentially relying on often-unstable regions and countries around the world to meet our growing natural gas demands. As this responsible development continues to expand across the Marcellus region, and the country, tens of thousands of Americans are finding work in an industry that is fundamentally strengthening our nation’s core.

“While some critics continue to question the viability of responsible domestic shale gas development, it is abundantly clear – as laid out by this new data – that the Marcellus Shale will continue to lead the way in meeting American’s energy needs for years to come.”

NOTE: Click HERE to view USGS’s updated assessment online. The USGS report follows a recent economic impact analysis conducted by researchers at Penn State University, which found that the Marcellus Shale formation could become the leading supplier of natural gas in the United States within a decade.

Posted at marcelluscoalition.org