The head of Chevron Corp.'s division that was created to run its recently acquired Marcellus shale natural gas interests in Pennsylvania said Fayette County is at the center of its long-term business plans and local hiring will gradually increase in the coming years.

Bruce Niemeyer, vice president of Chevron's Appalachian and Michigan Strategic Business Unit in Moon Township, discussed the corporation's plans to grow its Marcellus business and other industry developments at a Fayette Chamber of Commerce. Read more »

Ron Hilliard came home from church one Sunday to find hundreds of plastic $5, $10, $20 and $100 bills hanging on his fence in Flower Mound, another message from townsfolk angry at him for signing a natural gas drilling lease for his suburban Dallas property.

In Damascus, Pa., about 1,500 miles away, drilling advocate Marian Schweighofer found the word "LORAX" — from the Dr. Seuss book about environmental destruction — spray-painted on the road near her family's farm. Read more »

A rock layer below the Marcellus Shale could prove to be another incredible source of natural gas.

The Marcellus Shale captured public attention when leasing and drilling activities began pumping billions of dollars into local economies and citizens began debating the environmental, social and economic impacts. All of this began suddenly in 2004 when Range Resources Corporation drilled the first Marcellus well using modern drilling technology. Read more »

Washington County emergency crews were called to a Marcellus Shale drilling site in Hickory, after multiple calls about a possible explosion.

911 dispatchers started getting calls about an explosion on Tuesday March1, 2011 morning.

"We heard a big 'Boom!' It shook our house," Rebecca Skirpan said.

Range Resources denied that there was any sort of explosion. Spokesman Matt Pitzarella said that one of the company's employees was inspecting wells in the area when he saw smoke coming from a compressor station and called 911. Read more »