Pittsburgh, Pa.– The safe, tightly-regulated development of America’s clean-burning natural gas resources continues to provide broad benefits, ranging from job creation, strengthened energy security, and a cleaner environment. Taken together, this development is Powering an American Renaissance.  Here’s what they’re saying:

  • U.S. Energy Renaissance “Redrawing the Global Energy Map”: “North America is at the forefront of a sweeping transformation in oil and gas production that will affect all regions of the world, yet the potential also exists for a similarly transformative shift in global energy efficiency,” said IEA Executive Director Maria van der Hoeven. “This year’s World Energy Outlook shows that by 2035, we can achieve energy savings equivalent to nearly a fifth of global demand in 2010. In other words, energy efficiency is just as important as unconstrained energy supply, and increased action on efficiency can serve as a unifying energy policy that brings multiple benefits.” The WEO finds that the extraordinary growth in oil and natural gas output in the United States will mean a sea-change in global energy flows. In the New Policies Scenario, the WEO’s central scenario, the United States becomes a net exporter of natural gas by 2020 and is almost self-sufficient in energy, in net terms, by 2035. (IEA release, 11/12/12)
  • “U.S. Companies Benefit From Cheap Shale Gas”: German industrials are concerned they will lose a competitive edge against rivals in the United States, where a boom in unconventional shale gas production has led to a sharp drop in industrial energy costs, industry lobby group BDI said. … Quoting industry experts, the BDI said the U.S. shale gas boom could lead to a re-industrialization of the United States and warned this effect will not be replicated to the same extent in Europe. “Therefore European industrial companies will in all probability have significantly higher electricity and gas prices for the foreseeable future than U.S. companies,” the BDI said. (Reuters, 11/8/12)
  • “Chesapeake Energy Concentrates on Hiring Veterans”: Chesapeake has hired more than 600 veterans this year as the company formalized its commitment to adding more people with military experience to its work force. The company has more than 1,200 veterans and active-duty military personnel on its payroll. “Chesapeake is an American company that is a top producer of American oil and natural gas. Creating American jobs and hiring veterans to work in our oil and gas fields and in our offices has become central to our recruiting strategy,” said Martha Burger, Chesapeake’s senior vice president of human and corporate resources. “Veterans perform well in our industry and share our company’s commitment to energy independence. “We hope to honor their talent, experience and military service with rewarding careers, while easing their transition to civilian life.” (The Oklahoman, 11/12/12)
  • “Local Leaders, Employers Offer Salute to Local Veterans”: In anticipation of Veterans Day on Monday, the event organized by Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. at the center aimed to follow the late Mr. Merli’s direction to the state senator. After a series of brief addresses, a “Back to the World Veteran Service Fair” offered information on resources available to veterans – primarily employment options. “We’re secure, and we need to take the time to remember that that security was afforded to us by you,” said George Stark, director of external affairs for Cabot. In a brief address to the roughly 50 people in attendance for the salute before the fair, Mr. Stark emphasized not only the importance of hiring veterans for their sake but their unique value to employers. “Hands down, the experiences that veterans bring to our industry is second to none,” he said. (Times-Tribune, 11/11/12)
  • Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels Touts Natural Gas as a Global Energy Solution: U.S. emissions are at the lowest they’ve been for 20 years thanks largely to America’s natural gas. … One of the factors slowing the world-wide switch to natural gas, however, is shortsighted opposition from some environmentalists in the U.S., Europe and beyond. … A natural-gas economy would reduce smog and improve public health. (Wall Street Journal op-ed, 11/11/12)
  • OPEC Acknowledges Shale Gas is Strengthening U.S. Energy Security: A shale gas boom will significantly increase domestic production of oil and gas in the coming years and help cut U.S. reliance on crude oil imported from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC said, in a forecast released Thursday. In its annual World Oil Outlook, OPEC noted that rising domestic oil production would gradually diminish its group’s role in the U.S. market. (IBT, 11/8/12)
  • Marcellus Shale “Gas Boom Transforms Community”: As MarkWest Energy continues work on its $500 million natural gas processing plant just outside the village, the company also now maintains an office along Main Street. Across the street, the Harrison County Courthouse is busy because abstractors are searching through property records in an effort to lease land for drilling. … Vickie Beetham is seeing a significant increase in traffic at her restaurant, Vickie’s Place. “It has definitely been a benefit to my business,” she said, noting that many of the pipeliners and other gas workers stop in to eat breakfast in the mornings on their way to their job sites. … As a 25-year village resident, Dale Plant has seen people come and go in Cadiz. He said the business has really picked up since the drilling industry hit the town. “Rentals are way up. The restaurants are full. Sometimes, you’ll see 20 pickup trucks lined up along the street when the guys are stopping in town to eat,” he said. (The Intelligencer, 11/12/12)
  • “Marcellus Multiplier” Supply Chain Opportunities Continue to Expand: Lawrence County’s workforce and businesses need to prepare for an economic boom from Marcellus Shale, an expert said. … The county is in a good location to benefit from the gas and oil drilling that is evolving in western Pennsylvania, explained Joy Ruff, community outreach manager for the Marcellus Shale Coalition. She addressed business and government members of the Lawrence County Economic Development Corp. about the coalition’s new website program, Marcellus on Main Street. The online program provides businesses and community members an avenue to connect with the natural gas industry across Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, Maryland and Ohio. The site — www.marcellusonmainstreet.org — allows businesses to customize their individual web listing to promote their services and materials directly to the shale gas industry. (New Castle News, 11/9/12)
  • “Compressed Natural Gas is Our Ticket to the Future”: As a former DEP and economic development secretary for the commonwealth, I believe clean-burning natural gas will become the biggest economic driver in Pennsylvania since the “heydays” of coal and steel. Compressed natural gas is an environmentally superior fuel that is less expensive than gasoline. With an anticipated cost of less than $2 per gas gallon equivalent, CNG will be nearly half the cost of filling up your car at the pump. (Patriot-News letter, 11/9/12)