Pennsylvanians Benefit From Natural Gas Use; 68,536 Natural Gas Wells, 69 Gas Power Plants

Associated Petroleum Industries in Pennsylvania Tuesday released a new study on the benefits natural gas brings to the state in terms of consumer savings, family-sustaining jobs and economic growth.

“Natural gas is critical to our way of life in Pennsylvania,” said Executive Director Stephanie Catarino Wissman. “Over the past decade, our state has experienced massive growth in clean-burning natural gas production due to technological innovations and industry investment, helping create jobs and strengthen our state’s economy.”

The study by ICF International examined the economic benefits and opportunities from the entire natural gas value chain, including the production of natural gas, its transportation and end uses like power generation and manufacturing.

Natural gas benefited Pennsylvanians in 2015 in the following ways:

-- Supported 178,100 or 3.1 percent of jobs in the state; and

-- Contributed $24.5 billion to the state’s economy.

The report said in 2015, Pennsylvania’s natural gas and oil infrastructure on the ground included:

-- 21,940 producing oil wells and 68,536 producing gas wells;

-- 11 gas processing plants in the state with a capacity of 754 MMcf/d;

-- 49 natural gas storage sites in the state with a working gas capacity of 426 Bcf;

-- 69 natural gas-fired power plants;

-- 26,536 miles of gas gathering lines;

-- 9,899 miles of gas pipelines;

-- 24 miles of crude oil pipelines;

-- 1,141 miles of natural gas liquids pipelines;

-- 1,956 miles of product pipeline;

-- 47,954 miles of gas distribution mains and 28,711 miles of service lines; and

-- No CO2 pipelines.

“From power generation for homes and businesses that benefit from affordable and reliable electricity, to the industry’s skilled workforce that produces natural gas, to pipelines and the workers who build them, the advantages of natural gas are wide-ranging,” said API President and CEO Jack Gerard. “With energy week in full swing, this study is another example of the job and consumer benefits of natural gas across the country.”

The study found that consumers in all 50 states will save an estimated $655 by 2040 from natural gas production, transportation and other uses such as electricity generation.

Other report highlights on the benefits of natural gas production, its transportation and end uses throughout the value chain include:

-- By 2040, consumers across the country will save an estimated $100 billion, or $655 per household, from the increased use of natural gas throughout our economy – from manufacturing to generating affordable electricity.

-- In 2015, the natural gas supply chain supported 3 percent of the U.S. economy, including direct, indirect and induced activities and jobs associated with natural gas.

-- In 2015, natural gas supported more than 4 million jobs across the country from production to end uses like manufacturing. That number is expected to rise to 6 million jobs by 2040.

Click Here for more information on benefits to Pennsylvania (page 217) in the full report.