Article
| July 18, 2011
Navigating The Legal Landscape Of Shale Gas Exploration And Development In The United States: Identifying And Managing Environmental Risks
In the United States, continued concerns about global climate change (despite recent failures in Congress to pass comprehensive climate change legislation) and an over dependence on foreign oil have increased interest and demand for reliable sources of domestic energy. While renewable energy sources continue to garner interest from the investment community, currently the most economic and reliable source of domestic energy (other than coal) appears to be natural gas. For example, one of the largest “unconventional” on-shore natural gas deposits in the world is in a geologic formation known as the Marcellus Shale located beneath parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia and other states. Significant natural gas deposits are also located in various other shale formations throughout the United States, including in Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and Utah. In fact, many believe that the natural gas trapped in shale formations throughout the country can supply approximately 90 years worth of demand for natural gas in the United States.
This memorandum is intended only as a general discussion of these issues. It is not considered to be legal advice. We would be pleased to provide additional details or advice about specific situations. For additional information on this important topic, please feel free to call upon your Dewey & LeBoeuf relationship partner. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form, without our prior written consent.
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