News

Ohio Sees Big Increase in 2016 Natural Gas Production

By:
Posted on:

< < Back to

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio has overtaken West Virginia to become the sixth-largest natural gas producer in the U.S. after a big boost in production last year.

The Energy Information Administration says companies in Ohio produced about 1.5 trillion cubic feet of gas last year. That’s compared with 1 trillion in 2015.

The Columbus Dispatch reports Ohio production benefited from new pipelines and top producing wells. Most Ohio gas comes from the Utica and Marcellus shale formations. That growth has occurred while many energy businesses have suffered because of low gas and oil prices.

A Belmont County Port Authority official predicts 2017 production will be even higher than last year.

The U.S. overall produced about 450 billion fewer cubic feet of natural gas in 2016 than the previous year.