U.S. natural gas needs

Clean-burning U.S. natural gas resource estimates have increased 35 percent in the last two years, allowing Americans to count on about a century of natural gas supplies at current rates of consumption.  Natural gas has the potential to meet a growing share of home heating and electricity needs in coming decades.  U.S. natural gas demand is expected to increase by over 20 percent from 2005 to 2030.

• A technology developed by ExxonMobil enables us to produce more of the United States' vast resources of “tight gas” — natural gas trapped in rock formations.  Such breakthroughs allow increased supplies and use of this reliable, affordable energy source, while at the same time reducing air emissions and greenhouse gases.  Natural gas used for electricity generation can reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by up to 60 percent.
• America's natural gas industry contributed $385 billion to our nation's economy and supported more than 2.8 million American jobs in 2008.  More than 620,000 of these jobs were through direct employment, representing a 20 percent increase in jobs since 2006.  Significant job growth occurred in many states, including Arkansas, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas.
• The U.S. currently meets over 85 percent of its natural gas needs from domestic production.