U.S. Steel Corp. is offering tangible proof that energy development can create jobs. This week the corporation announced it's considering expanding its Lorain, Ohio, steel tubing plant and adding a new steel coating line to a joint venture near Findlay, Ohio.

One of the primary reasons for the new investments is the company's proximity to the Marcellus Shale formation, where energy companies are using steel piping to drill for natural gas.

The Marcellus formation lies under a huge swath of eastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and West Virginia as well as the western edge of Virginia. It is estimated to contain 489 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, making it one of the largest natural gas reserves in the world.

Based on a study conducted by Penn State, it's expected that development of th... more »

A couple of successful wells are causing energy companies to take a fresh look at the southeastern corner of Wyoming.

According to the Star-Tribune, drillers are focusing on rock formations known to contain huge deposits of energy but that were believed to be technically unrecoverable.

The oil and natural gas-bearing formations are the Frontier Sandstone and the Niobrara Shale. Drillers are using horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing to coax oil and natural gas from the rock in same way that natural gas is being produced in other hard-rock formations in the United States.

Geologist Jimmy Goolsby told the Star-Tribune the combination of horizontal drilling and fracking "changes things significantly." In fact, he said, "These have changed the world, I really believe."

A new well near... more »

As we've discussed on this blog, advanced technologies like hydraulic fracturing have led to a boom in U.S. natural gas production, increasing supplies and propelling our nation to the world's largest natural gas producer.

Another voice also is singing the praises of this clean-burning energy resource.

An op-ed titled, "The Coming Age of Natural Gas," authored by New York geologist and petroleum engineer Scott B. Cline, discusses natural gas as a game-changer for our energy future and the economic prosperity development can bring to New York and our nation.

Cline says:

"...America sits atop much of those resources and the fruits of that extraction will once again help propel America to energy prosperity and security. Dominant global competitive advantage, jobs, tax revenue and prosperity... more »