shale gas

Shale-Gas Boom Spurs Race States Vie for New Chemical Factories—and Jobs—Powered by Lower Energy Costs By JAMES R. HAGERTY The boom in low-cost natural gas from shale is driving investment in plants that use gas for fuel or as a raw material, setting off a race by states to attract such factories and the jobs they create. Shale-gas production is spurring construction of plants that make chemicals, plastics, fertilizer, steel and other products. A report issued earlier this month by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC estimated that such investments could create a million U.S. manufacturing jobs over the next 15 years. West Virginia … Read more