Destination unknown for northeast US NGLs

A shale gas boom is creating a surfeit of liquids. The race is on to expand NGL infrastructure and find markets for ethane and propane

A major contributor to the US shale gas boom, the prolific Marcellus/Utica play, appears still far from reaching its full potential, as demand and logistical constraints hobble natural gas liquids expansion. The region, which produces nearly 30% of total US natural gas output, has seen gas production increase to just over 27bn cubic feet a day, from only about 1.7bn cf/d in early 2010, according to the latest figures from the US Energy Information Administration. With soaring gas production has come soaring NGL output, as much of the Marcellus/Utica play, which lies under New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia in the US Northeast, is wet gas. According to the US Department of Energy,