UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — With the abundance of U.S. shale gas, the pricing of natural gas can differ significantly in local markets. The factors that drive these differences will be the topic of a web-based seminar offered by Penn State Extension.
The one-hour webinar, "Appalachia Natural Gas Prices — How They Are Determined and Where Are They Headed?" will be presented at 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 17.
The event will feature Patrick Rau, director of strategy and research for Natural Gas Intelligence. He will discuss the growing importance of the Marcellus and Utica shale formations and basis differentials across the country. The differences in pipeline prices among systems in the Appalachian basin also will be explored.
As with other commodity pricing, natural gas prices are commonly driven by supply and demand.
"Natural gas production in Appalachia now accounts for approximately 30 percent of total U.S. gas production, and it should achieve an even higher share in the years to come," he said. "That has had — and will continue to have — a profound impact on natural gas prices in many parts of the country."
The presentation is part of Penn State Extension's Shale Education monthly webinar series. Upcoming webinars include the following:
— June 21: "Biomethanation: A Unique and Sustainable Approach to Renewable Natural Gas," presented by Kevin Harrison, manager of the energy systems integration facility, and Nancy Dowe, group research manager, biological science, both with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
— July 19: "Introduction to Electric Markets and Procurement Strategies," presented by Scott Harford, energy management consultant, Penn State Facilities Engineering Institute.
— Aug. 23: "Marcellus Shale Landowner Coalitions: Form, Function, and Impact," presented by Grace Wildermuth, doctoral student in rural sociology at Penn State.
The webinar is free, but registration is necessary. To register, visit the Penn State Extension Natural Gas Events webpage. More information is available by contacting Carol Loveland at 570-320-4429 or at cal24@psu.edu.
Previous webinars, publications and information also are available on the Penn State Extension natural-gas website, covering a variety of topics such as liquid natural gas; seismic testing; methane emissions; water use and quality; Marcellus and Utica basins; natural-gas reserves; gas-leasing considerations for landowners; legal issues surrounding gas development; and the impact of Marcellus gas development on forestland.