West Virginia hit record production gains for oil and natural gas in 2018

West Virginia set a record 1.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas production and 12 million barrels of oil last year, capping the 10th straight year of output increases.

The data, recently released by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), shows that the state experienced a 17 percent uptick in natural gas production over 2017 levels, coupled with a nearly 60 percent gain in oil production. For context, that is the largest oil production the state has seen in more than a century.

And the gains are having effects elsewhere, too.

“One of the primary reasons West Virginia is enjoying an historic budget surplus is because of the prolific rise in natural gas and oil production,” Anne Blankenship, executive director of the West Virginia Oil & Natural Gas Association, said. “Rising production results in higher severance and property tax receipts which help fund critical services like education, road improvements, and health care, while also creating more jobs for West Virginians.”

The three biggest producers for natural gas in the state were Doddridge County, with 434 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas, Tyler County with 272 bcf and Ritchie County with 200 Bcf over the course of the year. All three saw sizable gains over 2017 levels.

In terms of oil production, Marshall County was the state’s largest oil producing county with 2,914,894 barrels in 2018. Ohio County produced 2,362,026 barrels and Brooke County followed with 2,063,152 barrels.