Enough natural gas exists in the Northeast’s Marcellus Shale to meet the demand of the entire world for three years. That’s one of the many conclusions determined by a team of researchers at Penn State University. Their conclusions were detailed in an extensive report released last week by the university’s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.
The size of the Marcellus, which is unprecedented in the Americas, is almost without equal:
Fully developed, the Marcellus Shale has the potential to be the second largest natural gas field in the world, behind only the South Pars/Asalouyeh field shared between the nations of Iran and Qatar.
According to the researchers, the economic impact of developing this world-class natural gas field will be felt throughout the region and will benefit landowners, business owners, and the state’s treasury:
In Pennsylvania, the development of these historic resources, while still in its infant stages, is credited with the creation of thousands of jobs and billions in annual revenue for the state. Over the next two years, this growth is expected to increase rapidly–providing the Commonwealth with a steady supply of affordable, clean-burning energy, and creating the potential for a wholesale transformation of the energy landscape both across the state and throughout the nation.
Read the entire report HERE.