Where is the Marcellus Shale and why is it important?
Where is the Marcellus Shale and why is it important?
sedimentary rock formation deposited over 350 million years ago in a shallow inland sea located in the eastern United States where the present-day Appalachian Mountains now stand (de Witt and others, 1993). This shale contains significant quantities of natural gas.
What is the importance of the Marcellus Shale formation?
2) Why is the Marcellus Shale gas extraction suddenly important for natural gas production? The combination of advances in drilling and fracturing technology, the large volume of natural gas reserves, and its proximity to eastern cities have made the Marcellus Shale an important resource.
What is the overview of the Marcellus Shale?
Marcellus Shale is a sedimentary rock buried thousands of feet beneath the earth’s surface. It stretches from upstate New York south through Pennsylvania to West Virginia and west to parts of Ohio. Named after a town in upstate New York, the rock itself is millions of years old, formed from mud and organic material.
Which US state has the largest amount of Marcellus Shale?
Much of the increase in production is from the Marcellus shale region in or near eastern Ohio, which is a boon for a state that is one of the top 10 natural gas-consuming states in the nation.
Is there oil in the Marcellus Shale?
EIA estimates proven reserves in the Marcellus Play of 77.2 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) at year end 2015 which makes it one of the largest natural gas plays in the U.S. The Marcellus has oil reserves of 143 million barrels (MMbbls).
How does Marcellus Shale impact the environment?
Marcellus Shale and the Impact on the Environment Exploring, drilling, and extracting natural gas within the Marcellus Shale area can potentially impact Pennsylvania’s surface and groundwater, soils, and wildlife habitats.
What are the issues surrounding the Marcellus Shale?
One concern is that hydraulic fracturing or faulty well construction might damage groundwater and drinking water wells by introducing chemicals, natural gas,7 and other contaminants into aquifers. A second issue is the potential contamination of water wells from surface activities related to gas production.
Why is shale gas bad?
But US researchers found that shale gas wells leak substantial amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. This makes its climate impact worse than conventional gas, they say – and probably worse than coal as well.
How deep is the Marcellus Shale in PA?
9,000 feet
Depth to Marcellus Shale Base The Marcellus shale occurs as deep as 9,000 feet below ground surface. At greater depths, the overlying rocks cause greater pressure in the Marcellus formation which can result in higher production rates if properly stimulated.