Inside the
Industry
Energy & Manufacturing
JENNIFER JETT PREZKOP
For West Virginia ’ s energy and manufacturing industries , the last few years have proven to be quite the roller coaster ride . From the impacts of an overreaching Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) to a volatile market , coal and natural gas have felt the effects of both national policy and global supply and demand . Manufacturing companies , downstream from the fossil fuels that drive their production , have faced stagnation driven from higher material costs and steeper competition .
Optimism is rising for all three in West Virginia , though . With new administrations in both Charleston and Washington and the promises of extracting more coal , building pipelines to move the state ’ s abundance of natural gas to market and putting America ’ s manufacturers back to work , these industries in the Mountain State are hopeful the tide has turned .
For our annual energy and manufacturing issue , we spoke with the executive directors of the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association and Independent Oil and Gas Association of West Virginia , Inc . ( IOGAWV ) and the presidents of the West Virginia Manufacturers Association ( WVMA ) and West Virginia Coal Association with the goal of capturing a reading on these vital West Virginia industries , as well as an inside look at what they believe the future holds for them and the Mountain State .
Anne Blankenship
Executive Director , West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association
WVE : Give us a brief update on your industry .
AB : It is truly an exciting time for the oil and gas industry , particularly in West Virginia . We are on the cusp of the shale revolution , advancing new technologies that will allow for the development of this natural resource that our state holds in abundance . The impacts of developing this resource are astounding , providing thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic impact . Although oil and natural gas prices have been low recently , production continues to increase in West Virginia , which is attributable to continuous advancements in technology that allow us to drill and produce more efficiently .
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE