WASHINGTON (AP) – Government geologists say the Utica Shale formation holds about 38 trillion feet of recoverable natural gas.

The Utica lies beneath the Marcellus Shale in parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, New York and Maryland. It’s the first assessment of the Utica by the U.S. Geological Survey.

The agency said Friday it estimates the formation holds about 940 million barrels of oil and 9 million barrels of natural gas liquids.

The Marcellus is considered to be one of the richest natural gas reserves in the world. The drilling industry is also paying increasing attention to the Utica.

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