The United States has been producing natural gas at all-time highs. By using our own natural resources, we’ve been able to lower heating costs, and keep money in the pockets of hard working Americans.
The issue, though, is that our infrastructure has not kept pace with the increase in supply. While we’re producing more natural gas than ever before – and expected to set a new record in September – we need to invest in our pipelines to transport it across the country, and to the rest of the world.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently published an article looking in detail at this issue, noting that production in natural gas “in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia from the Marcellus and Utica shale plays has grown rapidly over the past several years, and infrastructure to deliver natural gas to consumers has not kept pace.”
Thankfully, there are a number of ongoing projects that will help to alleviate this issue. In 2016 alone, “11 interstate pipeline projects in the Northeast were completed, adding just over 4.0 Bcf/d of interregional capacity.”
We need to continue expanding our capacity to transport the natural gas we produce, and projects like the Rover Pipeline will help to bring our resources to where they need to be. Pipeline construction creates thousands of jobs, allows us to use what we’re producing, and helps our economy to grow.