U.S. Production of Shale Gas Will Double by 2035, Report Says

The production of natural gas resources trapped in shale deposits in the U.S. will double over the next 25 years, according to a new government report. In its annual energy outlook report, the U.S. Energy Information Administration says the increase in shale will help the nation become less reliant on imported energy, projecting that imported oil and gas will provide only 18 percent of the nation’s energy in 2035, compared with 24 percent in 2009. A significant factor is improvements to the controversial drilling technology known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which extracts natural gas reserves from deep rock formations, but also carries risks of polluting aquifers, rivers, and streams. The new report more than doubles the estimated amount of natural gas that is recoverable from shale, from 347 trillion cubic feet to 827 cubic feet. Also making the U.S. more independent will be improved energy efficiency and a boost in biofuel production. Coal will remain the largest source of energy as the nation continues to rely on coal-burning power plants, the report said, with renewable energy only expected to enjoy modest growth, from 11 percent of the country’s electricity generating capacity in 2009 to 14 percent in 2035.