NPR has been running a fascinating series this week asking the question: Is natural gas the transition clean energy fuel? It's a charged debate, with economic and environmental interests weighing in from all sides, and a challenging question.
Right now, natural gas accounts for 22% of our national energy. If natural gas becomes that transition fuel, New York State could stand to gain standing in this industry, and potentially become a major natural gas exporter based on geological and technological advances for extracting gas from shale -- and the "super giant" Marcellus Shale formation that runs through much of south western and central New York.
An interesting report on geology.com assess the potential of the Marcellus Shale formation and concludes that is an undiscovered resource. In 2002, geologists estimated it held about 1.9 trillion cubic feet of national gas, but recent research out of SUNY Fredonia suggests it could contain more than 500 trillion cubic feet. That volume would have a wellhead value of about one trillion dollars, according to the research.
How much do you know about this topic, and where do you weigh in?
Read the three-part NPR shale series:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113080237&ps=rsLearn about the Marcellus shale formation and what it could hold for NYS:
http://geology.com/articles/marcellus-shale.shtml
