For consumers, expanded natural gas production from the Marcellus Shale is leading to significant savings in the form of lower, more affordable energy costs. And as more clean-burning natural gas is safely produced, more consumer savings are being realized.
In fact, the region’s largest natural gas utilities – PECO, NFG, PGW, Columbia, Equitable, UGI, UGI Penn, and Peoples – averaged a 41.25% cut in rates for consumers from 2008 to 2011, equating to nearly $3,200 in average savings per customer during that period.
Consumers are clear winners of responsible shale gas development, and so too is southeastern Pennsylvania’s manufacturing base.
Philadelphia’s refinery sites are experiencing new life that few could have predicted just a few years ago – buoyed by abundant supplies of natural gas, a fundamental building block for a strong manufacturing sector. Energy Transfer Partner’s acquisition of Sunoco and the Carlyle Group’s Sunoco investment are proof positive of the undeniably positive impact that shale gas development continues to have on greater Philadelphia’s economy. Thousands of jobs will likely be saved.
The prospects for leveraging Marcellus Shale natural gas are indeed promising for Sunoco’s Marcus Hook refinery, and may well be a lifeline for hundreds of jobs.
Many companies in the Philadelphia region are working with the natural gas industry, expanding their businesses and hiring new employees for the new work.
Additionally, more and more commercial compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations are opening across the region, providing drivers, school districts and businesses a lower-cost and cleaner option to fuel their vehicles.
