May 28, 2015 2 min read

Steelers Nation? How about Pennsylvania Nation?

The Keystone State achieved global prominence for its natural gas production, according to rankings published Thursday by Associated Petroleum Industries of Pennsylvania. The commonwealth’s output of 6.13 billion cubic feet per day is 13th in the world – behind 12 nations. And it’s more prolific than eight of 12 OPEC countries.

While Pennsylvania figures are more recent, data for other nations is from 2012, which API-PA said is the most recent year for reliable international statistics.

“This is what energy security looks like,” Stephanie Catarino Wissman, executive director of API-PA, said in a prepared statement. “Rising domestic production has helped to reshape global markets and revitalize job creation here in the United States.”

Thanks to a major boost from Penn’s Woods, its third-largest producer, the United States is the world’s natural gas leader. Wissman attributed Pennsylvania’s rise – and the U.S. rise – to innovations in fracking and horizontal drilling.

“Pennsylvania isn’t just a national leader – it’s a global leader,” Wissman said. “It’s critical that policymakers open the doors for free trade and lift regulatory barriers on the construction of vital energy infrastructure, including pipelines and export terminals. More urgently, the governor must steer away from higher taxes that would damage Pennsylvania’s competitive edge.”

The oil and natural gas industry, according to API-PA, supports about 339,000 jobs in the commonwealth and contributes $34.7 billion to Pennsylvania’s economy.