David Copley a petroleum geologist provides the following op-ed in in the Buffalo News.

“It’s impossible to overestimate the importance of natural gas production in the Marcellus Shale that underlies large parts of New York State and Pennsylvania.

Notwithstanding exaggerated fears of damage to ground water systems, the ramp-up in shale-gas production has been the best economic and environmental news in years. Thanks to the use of new drilling techniques combined with a decades-old process known as hydraulic fracturing, energy companies are now able to access deposits of shale gas that were considered out of reach a few years ago.

Until 2007, the story of natural gas production in the United States was one of decline. With gas supplies tight as a drum and domestic production unable to meet growing demand for the clean-burning fuel, plans were under way for dozens of liquefied natural gas terminals to handle imports from overseas.

Today domestic gas production is increasing, and shale gas accounts for 40 percent of the supply. Shale gas provides a significant boost for the economy, with thousands of new jobs, tax revenue for state and local governments, and income for property owners.”

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