One of the major themes at last week’s Shale Insight conference was NGLs (natural gas liquids), in particular ethane–and how the petrochemical industry that uses those NGLs will revolutionize the economic landscape of western PA, eastern OH, and northern WV–the tri-state area. One of the hottest of the hot topics is ethane storage. As we reported in early September, a research team from West Virginia University spent the past year studying geologic regions in 50 counties in the Marcellus/Utica Shale region to see if our region would support a proposed $10 billion ethane storage hub (see WVU Appalachia Ethane Storage Hub Final Report – We Need it Bad). The conclusion? Heck yeah! WVU researchers released their findings in a 181-page report titled “A Geologic Study to Determine the Potential to Create an Appalachian Storage Hub for Natural Gas Liquids.” Among the study’s findings: A shale ethane storage hub could help create $36 billion in investment and more than 100,000 permanent jobs. The report and its findings were on the lips of a number of speakers at Shale Insight…
One of the major themes at last week’s Shale Insight conference was NGLs (natural gas liquids), in particular ethane–and how the petrochemical industry that uses those NGLs will revolutionize the economic landscape of western PA, eastern OH, and northern WV–the tri-state area. One of the hottest of the hot topics is ethane storage. As we reported in early September, a research team from West Virginia University spent the past year studying geologic regions in 50 counties in the Marcellus/Utica Shale region to see if our region would support a proposed $10 billion ethane storage hub (see 