Dave Callahan, like most people across the globe, is appalled by Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
“This is just a horrible situation that the world is watching play out,” said Callahan, president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, a trade association that advocates for unconventional shale development, especially from the Marcellus and Utica plays – where there is an abundance of natural gas.
It’s a source European nations can use.
The United States and other nations have responded to the brazen attacks by condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin and issuing sanctions against his country, adversely impacting its economy.
As the Washington Post reported: “The United States, Europe and their allies rely on Russia for some oil and gas, and a few specialized materials. But they also supply Russia with much of its machinery, vehicles, technology and equipment that help Russia’s economy run … Without global trade, Russian factories would sit idle, businesses would shutter and shelves would sit bare.”
Western nations, thus far, have not established energy sanctions against Russia, which last year was the world’s largest natural gas exporter. Some countries have advocated for these sanctions, maintaining they would have a powerful impact, but doing so could lead to even higher energy prices across the globe.
“Intertwined energy security is directly related to national security,” Callahan said. “European countries have relied on 40% or so of their natural gas from Russia.”
Ukraine imports natural gas from Russia and other nations, but supplies more than 60% of its own consumption, according to a January report.
Helping European countries, Callahan said, is where the U.S. and Southwestern Pennsylvania come in.
“The United States has a significant role to play here,” Callahan said. “We can provide (European nations) with the abundant fuel we have here. And the fuel we would provide would be a cleaner fuel than they get from Russia. U.S. producers are working under the world’s most stringent environmental conditions.”
Citing data reported by the Clean Air Task Force, Callahan said natural gas produced in “Putin’s Russia” has a 65% higher methane intensity rate than gas sourced in the U.S. He added that gas from the Appalachian region has the lowest methane intensity in the nation.
Pennsylvania is a linchpin in national production, ranking second among states in gas produced. Pennsylvania, according to Callahan, produced 7.6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in 2021. “That amount would heat 114 million homes for a year. The state is producing more than we can use. We are duty bound to help the nations of Europe.”
The southwestern corner plays a large role in the Keystone State’s national ranking. Of the state’s 67 counties, Washington and Greene, annually, are among the top producers. Washington was second last year.
The Appalachian region, as a whole, is projected to lead the country in gas production March into April.
Callahan was in Washington on Wednesday for a private conference about the industry, and spoke with the Observer-Reporter that afternoon. Callahan praised Washington County for its diverse economy. “Natural gas is doing well, and that’s just one piece of the pie.”
The natural gas industry had been in a slump in recent years, but Callahan said there are signs that the industry “is moving ahead.”
He acknowledged that “we have issues and hurdles at the federal and state levels, which are hindering the ability to get product to market. We need to de-bottleneck permitting systems that cause delays that drag to 100-some days. We need to secure approvals for projects like pipelines and export facilities.”
Assisting Europe with energy needs is a top priority as well.
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