Formed about 380 million years ago and believed to hold trillions of cubic feet of natural gas, the Marcellus Shale is a deep geologic formation that covers more than 95,000 square miles through parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. This formation has long been considered prohibitively expensive to access, but recent advances in drilling technology and rising natural gas prices have attracted new interest in this previously untapped reserve. With the core area underlying about 60% of the state, the Marcellus Shale can represent tremendous opportunities for Pennsylvania: clean-burning, domestically-produced energy; jobs in the natural gas industry and associated businesses; and economic benefits to individuals and communities across the Commonwealth.

We're Fueling Ambitions Where It Counts Westmoreland County is situated at the heart of the Marcellus Shale offering direct north/south and east/west access via Interstates 70 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) located at New Stanton. Our team of economic development professionals is available to assist you with important decisions regarding site selection, planning, financing, and other business needs. We have the resources needed to familiarize you with our region, from its prime locations and developed industrial properties to office space needs. Achieving your company's plant relocation, expansion or startup goals takes a strong partner - give us a call!

Meeting Your Business Needs Available Industrial Parks Available Buildings & Land Business Assistance Understanding Marcellus - Westmoreland County Drilling Impact Fee Draft Model Zoning Ordinance - Oil & Gas Exploration

Events & Webinars

• Penn State Cooperative Extension - Marcellus Shale Events and Webinars

Reports and Studies

• America's Natural Gas Alliance Report: The Economic and Employment Contributions of Shale Gas in the U. S. (December 2011)
• Pricewaterhouse Coopers Study: Shale Gas - A Renaissance in US Manufacturing? (December 2011)
• PittBusiness Study: The Economic Impact of the Value Chain of a Marcellus Shale Well (August 2011)
• PSU Study: Status, Economic Impacts, and Future Potential (July 2011)
• PSU Study: The Economic Impacts of the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Play (May 2010)
• ARC Marcellus Shale Study: Baseline Socioeconomic Analysis (August 2010)