The shale gas boom: Energy exploration in Carolina

The Fayetteville Observer
Published: 07:03 AM, Sun May 22, 2011
By Michael Futch
Staff writer

For now, state geologists are finished with their research in central North Carolina.

After studying 59,000 acres in the Deep River basin for 15 years, they have concluded that Lee, Chatham and Moore counties could produce enough natural gas from shale to make North Carolina self-sufficient for 40 years at current levels of consumption.

“That’s what we think,” said Kenneth Taylor, chief of the N.C. Geological Survey. “We could become a net exporter.”

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