West Virginia’s natural gas and oil sector took center stage at the annual Gas and Oil Day at the Capitol. Hosted by the Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia (GO-WV), the event brought together industry leaders, experts, workers and policymakers to amplify the significant role the sector plays in shaping the state’s economic prosperity and meeting the nation’s energy needs.
“We’re here to celebrate the tremendous economic, energy and national security achievements made possible by West Virginia natural gas and oil and also emphasize our role in supporting the immense energy demands facing our state and nation,” GO-WV President Charlie Burd explained.
The day kicked off with a panel discussion, moderated by GO-WV Board Chair Jim Crews, featuring a group of influential leaders, including West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey, EQT CEO Toby Rice, Hope Gas CEO Morgan O’Brien, Fidelis Chief Development Officer Pete Hollis, and Orion Strategies CEO Curtis Wilkerson. Together, they highlighted West Virginia’s role in securing energy reliability, expanding domestic power generation, meeting energy demand and bolstering the state’s economic outlook, all while outlining a clear path forward.
A Backbone for America’s Energy Reliability
As the fourth largest natural gas producer in the U.S., West Virginia has a history of providing reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible energy to communities across the nation and our strategic allies. As geopolitical tensions in Europe continue to complicate energy availability, expanding American energy output is critical.
“[European allies] looked to the United States, they looked to American natural gas producers, they looked to West Virginia to produce natural gas and provide energy security to the world,” explained EQT CEO Toby Rice. “For perspective, the amount of gas West Virginia produces here in the state would be enough to completely replace the Russian gas that’s being exported into Europe.”
West Virginia’s abundant natural gas reserves uniquely position the state to capitalize on growing energy demand, creating economic and job opportunities across the energy value chain. Emphasizing the Mountain State’s role in meeting growing power needs, Governor Morrisey highlighted, “Through our energy resources, West Virginia becomes America’s energy state, and we’re in a position to grow and to be the feedstock for the economic and national security successes of our entire country.”
Energy Innovation and Power Generation
Data center development and AI adoption will require record-breaking amounts of energy. Natural gas is a key, low-carbon solution to reliably powering our everyday lives, while supporting technological advancements.
“The black swan event that happened with Open AI and ChatGPT really became an opportunity for West Virginia and the entire United States to expand that footprint here,” said Pete Hollis, Chief Development Officer at Fidelis. “Every time we talk to the hyperscalers, it was double what they asked for the previous month. That’s a huge opportunity for utilization of West Virginia resources, but on top of that, it’s also a huge opportunity for investment and jobs in West Virginia.”
With commonsense policies, including the Power Generation and Consumption Act (HB 2014) that encourages companies building data centers to create independent microgrids to power them, West Virginia is positioned to capitalize on data center development. This bill will allow West Virginia to leverage its natural gas reserves to generate investments, without overburdening the existing energy infrastructure required to power our everyday lives.
Data center development represents significant opportunities for West Virginia’s local communities. For example, to support growing demand, Fidelis is partnering with Babcock & Wilcox to develop the Mountaineer Giga System, a milestone infrastructure project that will utilize energy from across West Virginia’s resources to power on-site AI data center campuses.
Overall, West Virginia’s abundant natural gas uniquely positions the state to benefit from innovative projects that spur technological advancement across the nation.
Bolstering West Virginia’s Economic Prosperity
Made clear by panelists, West Virginia’s natural gas and oil industry is an economic engine for the state. The industry is responsible for supporting more than 88,000 family-sustaining careers across the energy value chain and contributing $663.5 million towards education and first responders through property and severance taxes.
“I tell people every day, because I’m not a native West Virginian, that this is a place you can get things done,” noted Morgan O’Brien, Hope Gas CEO. “And the people down here, the work ethic, the quality of the values of the people that come here, that live here, to me it has all the ingredients to be successful.”
Looking Ahead
“There is a ton of pressure that is political force acting against our industry,” said Rice. “We need to get back to a world where market forces rule, and we need to realign some things. People are the key to sending signals to their leaders to help them make those changes.”
From community investments to the latest industry developments, it is evident that West Virginia’s oil and gas industry is not just about energy – it’s about shaping the future of the state in every possible way. Gas and Oil Day served as a powerful reminder of the potential that lies in the state’s energy resources and how West Virginia can lead the way in meeting the nation’s future energy needs.
