Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
gas, after Russia. Until 1990, domestic production was able to meet domestic
demand.
But the success of the new gas-fueled power stations - more efficient and less
polluting than coal stations - generated such enthusiasm that the country began to
import more. Nearly 18% of the gas consumed in the United States is now imported
from fields in Alberta, Canada, via pipeline.
Naturally, the geography of the production of natural gas is similar to that of oil.
The state of Texas is the country's leading producer, providing 26% of national
production. In Wyoming, exploration efforts were multiplied and production more
than tripled between 1985 and 2004, making the state the second producer in the
country, with a jump from 2% to 7.3% of national production. Deposits found in the
“Midcontinent” - Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas - are the most
significant. Those of the Rocky Mountains and of the Gulf of Mexico follow closely
behind, in the states of Wyoming, Colorado and Utah, and Texas, Louisiana,
Mississippi, and Alabama, respectively. California contributes less than 2% of
national production, and operations in Alaska are limited to a production rate of
2.3% of the country's overall total. Unlike the oil fields, the Appalachians' natural
gas deposits have not yet been depleted.
Proven reserves of natural gas 2004, however, represent only 10 years of
production at current extraction rates. In 2004, natural gas contributed to 23% of
national energy consumption. With relatively little pollution and fewer greenhouse
gas emissions than other fossil fuels, natural gas has become the most popular
energy resource. The problem is that at the current rate of consumption, if no new
deposits are discovered, the United States will fully deplete its resources by 2015.
Just as in the past with oil, the United States is becoming dependent on imports
for its supply of natural gas, and most of the world's reserves are located in
unreliable countries like Iran, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. Natural gas is therefore not
a sustainable alternative to oil for America.
Americans are accustomed to having abundant and cheap access to energy,
thanks to their natural resources in fossil fuels. Today, they are preparing for the
transition, over a short period of time, from a situation of abundance of
hydrocarbons to one of shortage. In such a vast country where geographical and
climatic conditions require high levels of consumption, this presents a tremendous
challenge for the upcoming years.
