[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 6625-6626]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1210
                           SHALE NATURAL GAS

  (Mr. REED asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. REED. Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the 
plentiful natural gas reserves that we have in the United States. Many 
of my colleagues may not be aware of two studies which recently 
highlighted the abundance of this clean-burning domestic fuel source 
which holds so much promise.
  The first study I would like to draw attention to is the Energy 
Information Administration's Energy Outlook 2011, which analyzes energy 
production, consumption, technology, market supply

[[Page 6626]]

and demand, and the direction those trends may take in the future. The 
outlook anticipates strong growth in the natural gas development and 
consumption because of development of shale gas resources. The outlook 
notes that growth in natural gas would not be permissible but for the 
combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing 
technologies which have made shale gas economical to produce. The 
outlook finds that hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have 
led to an average annual growth rate of 48 percent in the time period 
from of 2006 to 2010.
  The second study I would like to mention is the American Gas 
Association's Potential Gas Committee 2010 biennial report.
  This report highlights the potential supply of natural gas in the 
United States. To be specific, the report finds that the Untied States 
possesses an untapped natural gas resource potential of 1,898 trillion 
cubic feet. This is the highest resource evaluation in the Potential 
Gas Committee's 46 year history.
  My Congressional District in New York State overlays a formation 
known as the Marcellus Shale. This shale play is one of the leading 
contributors to the rapid growth in estimates of recoverable natural 
gas in the United States.
  By developing and utilizing these massive natural gas reserves, we 
can begin to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and thus over time, 
reduce the cost of gasoline. As we all know, American producers and 
consumers are paying a heavy price as the cost of gasoline continues to 
rise. Everything costs more to produce, more to transport, and more to 
purchase.
  Reducing our dependence on foreign oil is both a national security 
issue and an economic issue. I urge my colleagues to consider these 
reports and support policies that will lead to the development of these 
valuable resources.

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