West Virginia Executive Spring 2019 | Page 54

In Numbers Natural Gas Thanks to the development of horizontal drilling and the discovery of multiple shale plays lying underneath the Mountain State, the natural gas industry in West Virginia is ripe for prosperity. Even though the state—and Appalachia as a whole— lacks the necessary infrastructure like an adequate number of pipelines to transport this high-demand product for export, the industry continues to grow. As of the second quarter of 2018, the industry supported 22,514 direct jobs, an increase of 28 percent over 2017. In 2017, the industry also reported $1.5 billion in wages earned. By comparison, the first half of 2018 re- ported $935 million, on track to easily surpass 2017. Oil & Gas Businesses in WV 721 WV’s Top Natural Gas- Producing Counties in 2018 BCF = Billion Cubic Feet #1 Doddridge - 380.5 BCF in 2018 Horizontal Producing Wells Today, 93% of WV’s total production is from 2,700 horizontal wells operated by approximately 15 operators. #2 Wetzel - 194 BCF Source: TIPRO State of Energy Report 2019 2,349 #3 Tyler - 171.3 BCF 2,704 #4 Ritchie - 158.5 BCF 2018 Property Tax Contributions $88.6 Million #5 Marshall - 155.3 BCF #7 Ohio - 50.10 BCF #8 Monongalia - 44.0 BCF Source: WV Oil & Natural Gas Association 22,514 Total Direct Wages 2017 Source: WV Oil & Natural Gas Association OF WV Counties with Oil or Natural Gas Operations Source: Independent Oil and Gas Association of WV 52 2012 WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE 2016 2017 Source: Independent Oil and Gas Association of WV Major Proposed Pipeline Projects in WV Atlantic Coast Source: WV Oil & Natural Gas Association 53 55 2008 Source: Independent Oil and Gas Association of WV Total Direct Jobs $1.5 Billion 168 #9 Marion - 38.9 BCF #10 Taylor - 31.4 BCF as of Q2 2018 1,050 #6 Harrison - 127.1 BCF Atlantic Coast Previous Route Header Supply Project Leach Xpress Mariner East 2 Mountain Valley Mountain Valley Alternative Route Mountaineer Xpress Rover Stonewall Gas Pipeline Project Tennessee Gas Expansion Western Marcellus Source: Independent Oil and Gas Association of WV