How Natural Gas Could Benefit Southeastern Pennsylvania The Most

Forbes Energy Blog has a guest post from Navigant on why exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a good idea for America.  Exporting LNG is also a must for Pennsylvania in maximizing the economic benefits of the Marcellus beyond just the drilling regions.

Southeastern Pennsylvania already has the rough infrastructure to make it a LNG export hub with the existing crude oil refineries along the Delaware River.  Moreover, the Delaware is naturally capable of handling the tankers necessary to transport the LNG.

The good news for the construction industry is if a concerted effort to convert petroleum refineries to LNG refineries were to become a reality billions would need to be invested.  That is also the bad news because with natural gas prices currently very low the investment currently does not make economic sense.  However, as the article points out there are signs that may change and the benefits of exporting LNG may soon be too big to ignore.

The conversion of the petroleum refineries along the Delaware to LNG refineries is something that political leaders in Southeastern Pennsylvania have raised from time to time.  Now is the time they should get serious about it.