Perhaps no state has seen the transformational effect of the benefits of natural gas more than Pennsylvania. Today, Pennsylvania is the nation’s second-largest natural gas producer, leading to the creation of over 50 thousand production-based jobs in-state and nearly 200 thousand jobs in all segments.
The Keystone State is home to most of the Appalachian Marcellus shale gas production, the prolific wells of which have contributed to an economic windfall to the tune of $24.5 billion. The effects of this rapid transition are widespread: from an economic boom to cleaner energy for a healthier environment, these changes will benefit generations of Pennsylvanians to come.
Pennsylvania is a natural gas powerhouse.
Pennsylvania residents consume more natural gas than any other available energy source. From 2012 to 2014, natural gas production in Pennsylvania skyrocketed, when it doubled output in this span of time.
In 2015, Pennsylvania produced 24 million barrels of gas plant liquids and marketed natural gas production allowed for the planning and construction of major gas pipelines for out-of-state transport. What’s good for Pennsylvania is good for the country: according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, natural gas production in Pennsylvania accounted for a massive 16.7 percent share of all domestic production.
Natural gas powers the Pennsylvania economy.
Natural gas played an integral part in the surge of Pennsylvania’s total gross domestic product increase in the past decade. Per the U.S. Department of Commerce, from 2011, before natural gas was a primary competitor in the energy market, to 2016, when natural gas held the leading role, Pennsylvania’s total GDP jumped from $615 billion to $724 billion.
These numbers make a difference to residents: the combined employment statistics across all natural gas sectors and segments results in 178,000 positions for workers each year. Career opportunities for those employed in natural gas include operations, extraction, distribution and construction – these are the stable career growth paths that keep Pennsylvania’s future bright.
This is only the beginning for natural gas in Pennsylvania.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in the coming years, Pennsylvania will be a leader in the production of dry natural gas, projecting a share of 18.2 percent of national output.
Pennsylvania is already regarded as a leader of natural gas production in the northeast region, surpassing and even multiplying each previous year’s output. In 2016, Pennsylvania tied Ohio for the greatest increase in natural gas production across the nation and projections see no slowdown in activity.
With each additional cubic foot of natural gas produced, Pennsylvania takes another step forward into the unbounded potential of its energy sector.
Natural gas keeps Pennsylvania clean.
Natural gas can dramatically reduce the emissions of harmful pollutants into the atmosphere; when used to generate electricity, natural gas produces half the CO2 emissions of coal. As the use of natural gas by electricity-generating plants has increased, power sector CO2 emission levels are at their lowest in nearly 30 years.
Natural gas can have such a profound impact on emissions that the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that switching to natural gas accounted for almost two-thirds of the CO2 emission reductions from 2006 to 2014. And the environmental benefits associated with natural gas go well beyond CO2 reductions. Greater use of natural gas in power generation will also reduce NOx, SO2, PM, acid gasses, Hg and non-Hg heavy metal emissions. With over ten million visitors to its historic national parks, natural gas is helping keep Pennsylvania scenic and clean.