Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending the Central Susquehanna Oil and Gas Expo in Hughesville. To my surprise, over 200 vendors were in attendance for the event. I was awed by the turnout for this event and even had to make a few trips back to my truck to refill on the business cards. For everyone who didn’t know, the purpose of this event was to bring together the oil and gas industry with local businesses to explore the many opportunities within the Marcellus Shale natural gas play.

It was immediately clear to me, after walking around and seeing all of the great interaction among vendors, producers and other interested parties, that the Expo was a great success!  Here is an excerpt from the Central Susquehanna Oil and Gas ExpoExpo’s website which really sums up why this event and others like this are so important in the Marcellus gas play:

The economic benefits are not questionable, the new businesses that have started or expanded dot the landscape across the state. Lycoming County was one of 4 counties that recorded 100 or more wells drilled during 2010. In all, 1,440 Marcellus wells were drilled in Pennsylvania last year. At an average investment of $4 million per well that represents a $5.76 billion investment in Pennsylvania just from drilling operations.

Think about that – $5.76 billion of new investment in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and all of it in counties that desperately needed it!  We have had serious economic issues throughout rural Pennsylvania over the last several decades, but the Marcellus Shale play is making a real difference in the lives of real people in places like Bradford, Lycoming and Susquehanna Counties, where the economic revival is palpable.  Marcellus Shale activity is turning it around for rural Pennsylvania.