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As a result of the growing role played by natural gas in generating electricity, our air is getting cleaner and the country has lowered greenhouse gas emissions to levels not seen in two decades.

Lower emissions

Natural gas is the cleanest burning fossil fuel, and less carbon intensive than other fossil fuels. Natural gas can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 60 percent compared to coal when used to generate electricity. Natural gas development through hydraulic fracturing has brought about significant greenhouse gas reductions in the United States. Over time, the potential deployment of new technologies like Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) could continue to improve the environmental advantages of natural gas.

Reduced surface footprint

The development of unconventional resources also can bring substantial reductions in operational surface footprint. Horizontal drilling and directional drilling allow drillers to consolidate gas wells onto one small pad site – resulting in as much as a 90 percent reduction in overall surface presence. By confining production to one pad site, operators are also able to reduce the number of access roads and pipelines needed to service wells.