US gas galore
Returns have been more difficult to find than gas in the Marcellus and Utica shale plays. New pipelines opening up fresh markets and better wells could help improve things
The greatest gas growth story in the world over the past decade has come out of America's northeast with the development of the vast Marcellus, and more recently the Utica, shale plays. The Appalachian gasfields' explosive growth has driven the transformation of America from the world's largest gas buyer to being on the cusp of becoming a global gas powerhouse, overturning the domestic market, the international gas trade and energy geopolitics in the process. The Appalachian gasfields weren't on the market's map at the start of this decade. But over the past seven years, production has risen more than ten-fold to record highs this winter of more than 27bn cubic feet a day. This is more than
Also in this section
1 April 2026
Golden Pass’s startup offers QatarEnergy a timely boost but may also force a difficult choice between honouring disrupted contracts and capitalising on soaring spot LNG prices
1 April 2026
It is not a case of if or when, but the length and magnitude of economic damage from elevated oil prices
1 April 2026
The US-Iran conflict demonstrates the need for diversification in several senses of the word. It also exposes the limits of Washington applying pressure on major oil and gas producers it considers geopolitical adversaries
31 March 2026
Disappointing results in its bidding round are a reality check for Libya, and global exploration generally
