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,

Also in this section
15 May 2025
Financial problems, lack of exploration success and political dogma cause uncertainty across much of the region
14 May 2025
The invisible hand of the market has seen increasing transparency but much more needs to be done to build a better understanding
13 May 2025
A fall in Venezuelan output drives overall production lower, as Saudi Arabia starts to slowly bring more crude to the market
12 May 2025
With the gas industry’s staunchest advocates and opponents taking brutal blows, the sector looks like treading a path of insipid indifference