Ten top players in the Marcellus Shale play
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Top 10 most important companies or organizations in the development of Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania to date:
An easy choice for the top spot thanks to a host of firsts: first to drill horizontally into Marcellus Shale; first to hit a gusher; first to recycle its frack water; first to reveal the chemicals in its frack water. Its public report about its early findings in December 2007 is what really kicked off the land rush for leases. More than any other company, Range has raised the profile of the industry in Western Pennsylvania through its extensive advertising campaign.
2. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Charged with regulating the natural gas industry. During the last five years of Gov. Ed Rendell's administration, it tried to stake out middle ground between ensuring tough, new regulation of the industry while allowing it to continue to operate -- at a time when New York state decided to impose a two-year-plus moratorium -- until after it could draw up a completely new permitting process.
Most prominent in the northeast part of the state, where it has hit on some of biggest-producing Marcellus Shale wells known so far, it is generally recognized as holding the most acres of leases for Marcellus Shale of any company in Pennsylvania, with more than 1 million acres.
The industry-run group that was formed by most of the big players in the industry in 2009. It is the most-quoted source for the industry in Pennsylvania and demonstrated its considerable resources last year by hiring former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge and his firms for $900,000 to provide "strategic advice." It has tried to present a moderating image of the industry, promoting best practices in the field and advocating for a reasonable severance tax in the state.
First Published February 27, 2011 12:00 am
