Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/101441
Energy (���It���s All Right Now, In Fact It���s a Gas��� continued from page 58) of more than 85 percent compared to the previous year. And the Appalachia Basin���s Utica Shale formation doubled the number of active oil and natural gas rigs for the last week of October of 2012 compared with the same week in 2011. Other areas are showing similar statistics. The new ability to reach shale oil and gas has also completely reinvented the production of natural gas in the country with more than 95 percent of the U.S. natural gas consumption coming from domestic production, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. CLEAN FREAKS OF THE WORLD, YOUR CHARIOT AWAITS. Are you looking for a sweet ride that just screams OCD? Get a load of this. From sidewalks to stadiums, the Sweepmaster 400 is one mean cleaning machine that never backs downfrom a good mess. Visit www.laymor.com or call 800.323.0135. Please visit us in CONDEX Booth 215. Opportunities for the Equipment Construction Industry The increase in energy production leads to a number of opportunities for construction equipment dealers, even beyond those directly related to drilling equipment. These include the need for additional infrastructure around drilling sites, pipeline construction, refinery construction and the economic impact of low unemployment in shale areas. One of the biggest opportunities for dealers is the increased need for infrastructure and gathering systems. At the very basic level, more energy production means there is more oil and gas that needs to get from the well to homes. Domestic midstream capabilities are extremely stressed, with refineries operating near capacity and domestic transportation systems insufficient to handle the increase in production. New pipelines, gathering systems, transportation and future refinery expansion are imperative for stressed midstream operators, and will remain imperative to the industry for years to come. Thousands of miles of transmission and feeder pipeline projects are underway, already creating thousands of jobs. At the heart of media attention and controversy, the Keystone Pipeline, if approved, stands to create thousands of jobs on its own. And rail facilities continue to expand loops, tanks, rail loading racks and pipeline connections. More energy production also means more people using and needing resources. Energy workers and their families often move to remote areas to work. More people equals more traffic and wear and tear on roads, more needs for housing, and more needs for retail development. While much of this centers around shale plays and the well sites, there are ancillary effects along pipeline routes and in communities where workers live. As natural gas production expands, the desire to use it as a means for vehicle fuel grows, and that means fueling stations need to 60 | www.cedmag.com | Construction Equipment Distribution | January 2013 56_BOKF_Feature_KP.indd 60 12/21/12 1:24 PM