Marcellus Shale
Marcellus Shale and energy related issues are important to our district and are important to me and to my work in Congress.
Pennsylvania is uniquely positioned to play a major role in energy production in the coming decades because of the Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Play. Many believe that the Marcellus contains upwards of 500 trillion cubic feet of clean burning natural gas; and may be the largest unconventional natural gas play in the world. This equates to generations of natural gas production in Pennsylvania and the potential for long-term economic growth for the Commonwealth. In addition, the Utica Shale formation rests below, and the Upper Devonian layer can be found above the Marcellus. If developed properly, the Marcellus Shale on its own has the potential to revitalize our region, create massive new wealth, significant increases in tax revenue, and bring Pennsylvania out of our economic slump and into prosperity. This is not short term development – and we will continue to need the appropriate regulatory support. I have been active in engaging regulators, producers, landowners and institutions such as Penn State in order to work with the community and educate people on the potential of this vast resource.
In Congress, I serve co-chairman of the Natural Gas Caucus, which is a bipartisan group of Members dedicated to championing the use of clean, plentiful, domestic natural gas. This group is committed to informing and educating Members of Congress and the American people about this clean-burning domestic fuel and new technologies, such as horizontal and directional drilling, which have vastly expanded America’s access to this bountiful natural resource. The practice of horizontal drilling provides significant benefits by reducing the footprint of oil and gas production and allowing for directional drilling in order to leave areas of environmental concern undisturbed. Because of horizontal drilling, the Marcellus has become technologically and economically viable. And because of this technology, operators can drill upwards of five to eight horizontal wells in the Marcellus from a single well pad.
Discovering environmentally-friendly ways to produce natural gas and explore the ways natural gas can help meet our country’s energy needs is fundamentally important in charting our nation’s path to energy security.
For more information concerning my work and views on Marcellus Shale issues, please contact my Washington, DC office.
I look forward to your feedback.
Thank you.
Downloads
- Marcellus_Shale_Fast_Facts_Viewing.pdf
- PA DEP Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Production.pdf
- PA DEP on Marcellus Shale Regulations.pdf
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More on Marcellus Shale
On Tuesday, Cabot Oil & Gas Corp., the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce and the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce played host to a Think About Energy Briefing webinar.
The session featured U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15), which includes Armstrong County; U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14); and U.S. Rep. Fred Keller (PA-12).
Officials from the Pennsylvania natural gas industry and lawmakers met virtually Tuesday for their Think About Energy forum. Both sides shared concerns the coronavirus could negatively impact Pennsylvania’s energy sector, but remain optimistic about the natural gas industry.
Pennsylvania Republican Reps. Glenn Thompson, Fred Keller, and Guy Reschenthaler were among the guests on the panel.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson today welcomed a State College constituent to testify before the House Natural Resources Committee on the impact of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Bellefonte, PA –U.S. Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (PA-5), in a letter sent Friday, Aug. 26, expressed concern about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “Zero Discharge” rule, which is intended to prevent wastewater from unconventional oil and gas wells from being treated at publically-owned treatment facilities. In the letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, Thompson joined with U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (PA-3) to express concerns that the regulations, as written, would also affect the treatment of wastewater from traditional conventional oil and gas wells.
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (PA-05) issued this statement following President Obama’s proposed regulations on hydraulic fracturing:
“As one of the top producers of natural gas, Pennsylvania’s success has been made possible due to technological advancements and safety regulations administered at the state level, rather than adding an additional layer of bureaucracy from the federal government.
"We lost a lot of our manufacturing jobs after World War II, up through the '60s and early '70s. We have the capability now, with the affordable energy supply in shale gas, to be able to regenerate those jobs again...