USA: Pennsylvania Oil Associations Create Marcellus committee

The committee will represent the oil and gas industry in Pennsylvania on matters pertaining to the acquisition, exploration, drilling and development of the Marcellus Shale natural gas resource, according to the organizations. It will also seek to present a unified voice before all state, county and local government or regulatory bodies.

“Pennsylvania stands to gain significant economic benefits from the development of the clean natural gas present in the Marcellus Shale,” Rich Weber, committee co-chair and president of Atlas Energy Resources, said in a statement. “With the potential for tremendous growth in this industry comes an immediate need for public information, policy review and cooperative efforts among producers, state and basin regulatory agencies, landowners and citizens.”

The committee includes small independent producers with historical expertise in the Pennsylvania oil and gas fields and larger national companies. The exact makeup of the committee was not revealed in a press release.

“We are working together to provide answers to Pennsylvania residents about the relatively new gas production operations,” said Ray Walker, committee co-chair and vice president of Appalachia Shale for Range Resources, one of the largest natural gas drillers in the country.

The Marcellus Shale formation covers roughly two-thirds of Pennsylvania and has about 150 trillion cubic feet of gas, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection. The United States uses 23 trillion cubic feet of natural gas a year.

PetrolWorld 211008