Pennsylvania Natural Gas Output Hit Record In 2017

Pennsylvania’s marketed natural gas production averaged a record 15 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2017, 3% higher than the 2016 level, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

This production is largely from shale plays in the Appalachian Basin. Pennsylvania accounted for 19% of total U.S. marketed natural gas production in 2017 and produced more natural gas than any other state except Texas.

Pennsylvania has experienced an increase in permitting and drilling activity with the expansion of regional pipeline capacity capable of moving natural gas to market centers outside of production areas. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the state issued 1,352 natural gas drilling permits in 2016 and another 2,038 in 2017.

In the past, natural gas production in Pennsylvania outpaced the ability of regional infrastructure to process and transport it out of the region. Several pipeline projects in recent years have alleviated these constraints. EIA forecasts natural gas production to continue to increase in the Appalachian basin, which would indicate a need for additional pipeline capacity.