Climbing to 31% of total U.S. natural gas production in 2021, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia doubled the Permian Basin’s output at 35 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day (Bcf/d), according to EIA researchers, remaining the nation’s largest natural gas producing region.
A combination of sector-led productivity gains and a commitment to expanding essential pipeline infrastructure over the years drove this sustained growth. Yet, essential energy infrastructure projects continue to face regulatory delays and challenges from extreme organizations seeking to end U.S. natural gas production and use.
Consider the regional Mountain Valley Pipeline, slated to deliver 2 Bcf/d of Pennsylvania and West Virginia natural gas to southeastern U.S. consumers. The pipeline project, which is 95% built, has faced years of regulatory setbacks and litigation that’s delayed completion by over two years.
“The Biden administration’s actions reversing key permitting reforms threaten to delay or derail critically necessary energy infrastructure projects, from natural gas pipelines to wind turbine installations,” Marcellus Shale Coalition president David Callahan said of recent federal permitting changes. “Investment decisions rely on a consistent and predictable regulatory environment, and continued ambiguity is a barrier to America realizing the economic, environmental and consumer benefits of abundant domestic natural gas.”
Additionally, Keep it in the Ground activists have worked to prevent MVP’s completion in an effort to thwart consumption of the critical, clean-burning fuel. Not only do these efforts do little to reduce the use of natural gas, but it’s also hindering the ability to deliver affordable energy for consumers, create jobs among the building trades, and enhance domestic access to abundant, reliable energy.
With increased U.S. energy exports essential to weaning Europe and other allies off Russian-produced energy, pipelines are a key conduit to reaching desired markets.
“There is starting to be more public acknowledgement that this will require major infrastructure investments and the administration support to build them by ensuring that the permitting process at the federal level is clear, consistent and as expeditious as possible,” Equitrans Midstream, the lead developer of MVP, CEO Tom Karam told investors this week.
West Virginia senator, Joe Manchin (D-WV), has emphasized the national importance of finishing Mountain Valley Pipeline, which is key as the U.S. EIA points out regional transportation capacity limits have been reached.
“MVP is a strategically important project for the energy and national security of our country and will play a critical role in our ability to support our European allies as they eliminate their use of Russian energy,” Senator Manchin said.
Pipelines are the safest and most efficient way to transport energy. It’s time state and federal regulators streamline permitting frameworks to quickly approve critical infrastructure projects and enable the market to work as intended.
