A nationwide natural gas report shows that natural gas reserves throughout the country are higher than ever, and Michigan’s natural gas consumption is among the highest.
Experts said the increase in natural gas reserves is a result of new technology more capable of locating natural gas pockets.
Bonnie Janssen is a public utilities engineer specialist. She said while not many reserves were found in Michigan, many were found nearby.
“40 percent of the new recoverable reserves are in the Atlantic region which is in the eastern United States, which would make it a shorter distance to the utilities in our state. For example guess could be brought into Michigan via the Rover pipeline.”
Janssen said natural gas prices in Michigan are low, which could mean good news for the state's economy.
“Michigan is an area where very very large volumes of natural gas is stored, they have an extensive pipeline system so that area a very integral part of supplying natural gas to consumers in the upper midwest. That’s a good thing because consumers have seen great value in natural gas.”
Janssen said Michigan also has the largest natural gas storage facilities in the nation.