DOE: Pa. may rank 2nd in gas production in ’13

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

The U.S. Department of Energy says that Pennsylvania may close out 2013 as the second-largest producer of natural gas in the nation, behind Texas.

The Tuesday release from the Energy Information Administration shows that soaring production from the Marcellus Shale has put Pennsylvania and West Virginia into the top 10 gas-producing states. The EIA reports that Pennsylvania may edge out Louisiana for the No. 2 spot, while West Virginia is 10th nationally. Production in Pennsylvania grew by 72 percent from 2011 to 2012, and is on track to grow this year.

The Marcellus Shale formation lies under large parts of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, New York and some neighboring states.