Development of the Marcellus shale has made Pennsylvania the fastest-growing natural gas-producing state, the US Energy Information Administration reported.
Between 2011 and 2012, the state's total marketed natural gas grew by 72%, EIA said.
According to the agency's Natural Gas Annual 2012, published in December 2013, the state's total marketed production, which includes natural gas plant liquids, was 2,256,696 MMcf.
The increase moved Pennsylvania to third position from seventh in a ranking of states based on marketed production (see table).
EIA said preliminary data indicate "continued Marcellus production may result in Pennsylvania becoming the second-largest producer in 2013."
In 2008, Pennsylvania's marketed gas production totaled 198,295 MMcf.
Output from the Marcellus shale pushed West Virginia into the top-10 states for marketed gas production in 2012.
The state's total for 2012, according to EIA, was 539,860 MMcf, up 37% from 2011.
