West Virginia Quick Facts
- In 2020, West Virginia ranked fourth among the states in total energy production, accounting for 5% of the nation's total.
- In 2021, West Virginia was the second-largest coal producer in the nation, after Wyoming, and accounted for 14% of U.S. total coal production. West Virginia also had 12% of recoverable coal reserves at producing mines, the third-largest reserve base in the nation, after Wyoming and Illinois.
- In 2021, coal-fired electric power plants accounted for 91% of West Virginia's total electricity net generation. Renewable energy resources—primarily hydroelectric power and wind energy—contributed 5% and natural gas provided more than 4%.
- In 2021, West Virginia was fourth in the nation in natural gas marketed production. The state produced nearly 2.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, about 10 times more than in 2010, and 95% of it was from shale gas wells.
- West Virginians typically use about half of the electricity generated in the state. As a result, West Virginia is a net supplier of electricity to the regional grid and is among the top states in interstate transfers of electricity. In 2021, only four other states sent more of their electricity generation out of state.
Last Updated: December 15, 2022
Data
Last Update: March 16, 2023 | Next Update: April 20, 2023
| Prices | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | West Virginia | U.S. Average | Period | find more | |
| Domestic Crude Oil First Purchase | $ 69.16 /barrel | $ 76.45 /barrel | Dec-22 | ||
| Natural Gas | West Virginia | U.S. Average | Period | find more | |
| City Gate | $ 7.60 /thousand cu ft | $ 7.68 /thousand cu ft | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Residential | $ 12.71 /thousand cu ft | $ 14.75 /thousand cu ft | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Coal | West Virginia | U.S. Average | Period | find more | |
| Average Sales Price | $ 77.14 /short ton | $ 36.50 /short ton | 2021 | ||
| Delivered to Electric Power Sector | W | $ 2.65 /million Btu | Dec-22 | ||
| Electricity | West Virginia | U.S. Average | Period | find more | |
| Residential | 12.76 cents/kWh | 14.96 cents/kWh | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Commercial | 10.31 cents/kWh | 12.42 cents/kWh | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Industrial | 7.05 cents/kWh | 8.63 cents/kWh | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Reserves | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reserves | West Virginia | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Crude Oil (as of Dec. 31) | 23 million barrels | 0.1% | 2021 | find more | |
| Expected Future Production of Dry Natural Gas (as of Dec. 31) | 43,023 billion cu ft | 7.3% | 2021 | find more | |
| Expected Future Production of Natural Gas Plant Liquids | 2,745 million barrels | 10.5% | 2021 | find more | |
| Recoverable Coal at Producing Mines | 1,470 million short tons | 12.0% | 2021 | find more | |
| Rotary Rigs & Wells | West Virginia | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Natural Gas Producing Wells | 47,934 wells | 9.9% | 2020 | find more | |
| Capacity | West Virginia | Share of U.S. | Period | ||
| Crude Oil Refinery Capacity (as of Jan. 1) | 22,300 barrels/calendar day | 0.1% | 2022 | ||
| Electric Power Industry Net Summer Capacity | 15,022 MW | 1.3% | Dec-22 | ||
| Supply & Distribution | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production | West Virginia | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Total Energy | 5,020 trillion Btu | 5.2% | 2020 | find more | |
| Crude Oil | 45 thousand barrels per day | 0.4% | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Natural Gas - Marketed | 2,760,429 million cu ft | 7.4% | 2021 | find more | |
| Coal | 78,501 thousand short tons | 13.6% | 2021 | find more | |
| Total Utility-Scale Net Electricity Generation | West Virginia | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Total Net Electricity Generation | 5,437 thousand MWh | 1.5% | Dec-22 | ||
| Utility-Scale Net Electricity Generation (share of total) | West Virginia | U.S. Average | Period | ||
| Petroleum-Fired | 0.7 % | 1.0 % | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Natural Gas-Fired | 3.8 % | 38.8 % | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Coal-Fired | 89.7 % | 20.1 % | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Nuclear | 0 % | 19.0 % | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Renewables | 5.8 % | 20.4 % | Dec-22 | ||
| Stocks | West Virginia | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Motor Gasoline (Excludes Pipelines) | 43 thousand barrels | 0.3% | Dec-22 | ||
| Distillate Fuel Oil (Excludes Pipelines) | 270 thousand barrels | 0.3% | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Natural Gas in Underground Storage | 416,119 million cu ft | 5.6% | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Petroleum Stocks at Electric Power Producers | 123 thousand barrels | 0.6% | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Coal Stocks at Electric Power Producers | 4,289 thousand tons | 4.8% | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Fueling Stations | West Virginia | Share of U.S. | Period | ||
| Motor Gasoline | 933 stations | 0.8% | 2019 | ||
| Propane | 17 stations | 0.6% | 2022 | ||
| Electricity | 138 stations | 0.3% | 2022 | ||
| E85 | 38 stations | 0.9% | 2022 | ||
| Compressed Natural Gas and Other Alternative Fuels | 3 stations | 0.1% | 2022 | ||
| Consumption & Expenditures | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | West Virginia | U.S. Rank | Period | ||
| Total Consumption | 804 trillion Btu | 35 | 2020 | find more | |
| Total Consumption per Capita | 449 million Btu | 7 | 2020 | find more | |
| Total Expenditures | $ 6,729 million | 38 | 2020 | find more | |
| Total Expenditures per Capita | $ 3,759 | 9 | 2020 | find more | |
| by End-Use Sector | West Virginia | Share of U.S. | Period | ||
| Consumption | |||||
| » Residential | 151 trillion Btu | 0.7% | 2020 | find more | |
| » Commercial | 102 trillion Btu | 0.6% | 2020 | find more | |
| » Industrial | 381 trillion Btu | 1.2% | 2020 | find more | |
| » Transportation | 170 trillion Btu | 0.7% | 2020 | find more | |
| Expenditures | |||||
| » Residential | $ 1,666 million | 0.6% | 2020 | find more | |
| » Commercial | $ 901 million | 0.5% | 2020 | find more | |
| » Industrial | $ 1,620 million | 1.0% | 2020 | find more | |
| » Transportation | $ 2,541 million | 0.6% | 2020 | find more | |
| by Source | West Virginia | Share of U.S. | Period | ||
| Consumption | |||||
| » Petroleum | 36 million barrels | 0.5% | 2020 | find more | |
| » Natural Gas | 258 billion cu ft | 0.8% | 2021 | find more | |
| » Coal | 25 million short tons | 4.7% | 2021 | find more | |
| Expenditures | |||||
| » Petroleum | $ 3,317 million | 0.7% | 2020 | find more | |
| » Natural Gas | $ 665 million | 0.3% | 2021 | find more | |
| » Coal | $ 1,299 million | 5.6% | 2021 | find more | |
| Consumption for Electricity Generation | West Virginia | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Petroleum | 68 thousand barrels | 1.0% | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Natural Gas | 1,770 million cu ft | 0.2% | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Coal | 2,001 thousand short tons | 4.8% | Dec-22 | find more | |
| Energy Source Used for Home Heating (share of households) | West Virginia | U.S. Average | Period | ||
| Natural Gas | 41.3 % | 46.5 % | 2021 | ||
| Fuel Oil | 2.1 % | 4.1 % | 2021 | ||
| Electricity | 45.3 % | 41.0 % | 2021 | ||
| Propane | 5.1 % | 5.0 % | 2021 | ||
| Other/None | 6.3 % | 3.5 % | 2021 | ||
| Environment | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renewable Energy Capacity | West Virginia | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Total Renewable Energy Electricity Net Summer Capacity | 1,200 MW | 0.4% | Dec-22 | ||
| Ethanol Plant Nameplate Capacity | -- | -- | 2022 | ||
| Renewable Energy Production | West Virginia | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Utility-Scale Hydroelectric Net Electricity Generation | 153 thousand MWh | 0.7% | Dec-22 | ||
| Utility-Scale Solar, Wind, and Geothermal Net Electricity Generation | 163 thousand MWh | 0.3% | Dec-22 | ||
| Utility-Scale Biomass Net Electricity Generation | NM | NM | Dec-22 | ||
| Small-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Generation | 2 thousand MWh | 0.1% | Dec-22 | ||
| Fuel Ethanol Production | 0 thousand barrels | 0.0% | 2020 | ||
| Renewable Energy Consumption | West Virginia | U.S. Rank | Period | find more | |
| Renewable Energy Consumption as a Share of State Total | 6.0 % | 44 | 2020 | ||
| Fuel Ethanol Consumption | 1,665 thousand barrels | 39 | 2020 | ||
| Total Emissions | West Virginia | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Carbon Dioxide | 85.4 million metric tons | 1.7% | 2019 | ||
| Electric Power Industry Emissions | West Virginia | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Carbon Dioxide | 57,839 thousand metric tons | 3.5% | 2021 | ||
| Sulfur Dioxide | 43 thousand metric tons | 3.7% | 2021 | ||
| Nitrogen Oxide | 31 thousand metric tons | 2.5% | 2021 | ||
Analysis
Last Updated: December 15, 2022
Overview
West Virginia is the nation’s fourth-largest energy producer.
West Virginia is the nation's fourth-largest energy producer, with substantial fossil energy and renewable resources.1,2 Located in the center of the Appalachian Mountain region, West Virginia's boundaries follow the region's mountain ridges, valleys, and rivers, giving the state an unusual outline that includes two panhandles. Although it is one of the 10 smallest states in total area, West Virginia stretches from the Ohio River, where the state's northern panhandle is wedged between Pennsylvania and Ohio, to a point almost 240 miles away on the state's southern border with Virginia.3 Most of West Virginia is part of the Appalachian Plateau region, where much of the state's natural gas, coal, and crude oil reserves are found.4 Rivers that cross the Appalachian Plateau have plentiful hydroelectric power potential, while the narrow, wind-swept mountain ridges that run northeast to southwest in the Appalachian Valley and Ridge region of eastern West Virginia have the state's best wind resources.5,6 Almost four-fifths of the state is covered by forests, providing West Virginia with abundant biomass potential as well.7
West Virginia is a net energy supplier to other states. In 2020, the state provided about 5% of the nation's total energy, more than one-third of it from coal production.8 However, because of increases in natural gas and natural gas liquids production from the Marcellus and Utica shales in northern West Virginia, natural gas surpassed coal for the first time in 2019 and became the largest contributor to the state's energy economy.9,10 West Virginia is also a significant energy consumer, and on a per capita basis its energy consumption ranks among the top 10 states.11 The industrial sector accounts for the largest share of West Virginia's energy consumption.12 Mining—including coal, crude oil, and natural gas extraction—and chemical manufacturing are significant and energy-intensive contributors to the state's economy.13 In 2020, industry accounted for 47% of the state's total energy consumption. The transportation sector, the second-largest energy-consuming sector, used 21%. The residential sector accounted for 19%, and the commercial sector used 13%.14
Natural gas
West Virginia is the fourth-largest producer of marketed natural gas in the nation.
West Virginia is the nation's fourth-largest producer of marketed natural gas.15 The state is within the Marcellus Shale productive region, one of the largest natural gas-producing areas in the United States.16,17 West Virginia had more than 32 trillion cubic feet of shale gas reserves at the end of 2020, 10% of the nation's total.18 Production from the Marcellus and Utica-Point Pleasant shale formations accounts for about 95% of West Virginia's natural gas production.19 In 2014, the state's annual natural gas production from all sources exceeded 1 trillion cubic feet for the first time, and in 2019, the energy value of West Virginia's natural gas production surpassed that of the state's coal production for the first time.20,21 In 2021, West Virginia's total annual gross withdrawals of natural gas reached nearly 2.8 trillion cubic feet.22 Almost all of the state's natural gas production that is not from shale formations comes from conventional natural gas wells. West Virginia also has natural gas reserves and production from coalbeds, and it accounted for 0.2% of the state's total natural gas production in 2021. Oil wells in West Virginia produce a small amount of natural gas as well.23
Several interstate and intrastate natural gas pipelines cross West Virginia.24 Although pipelines bring natural gas into West Virginia from surrounding states, much more natural gas leaves the state than enters because West Virginia consumes less natural gas than it produces and sends much of the excess out of state.25 In 2021, West Virginians consumed less than one-tenth of the natural gas produced in the state, and more than four times as much natural gas left West Virginia as entered.26,27,28 New pipeline projects have come online in recent years and more are planned to transport natural gas from the Marcellus and Utica Shale producing areas of West Virginia to markets across the eastern United States and Canada.29,30 Natural gas processing plants that separate dry natural gas from associated natural gas liquids were constructed or expanded in West Virginia in recent years to handle the liquids produced from the Marcellus Shale.31 West Virginia has 31 underground natural gas storage fields with a combined storage capacity of about 531 billion cubic feet of natural gas. That is almost 6% of the nation's total underground natural gas storage capacity.32,33 The proximity of the state's natural gas storage fields to northeastern markets makes West Virginia an important supplier to the region during the winter months when natural gas demand for heating increases.34
Much of the natural gas consumed in West Virginia is used to gather, process, and distribute natural gas within the state and to maintain pressure in larger pipeline systems. In 2021, 60% of the total natural gas consumed in the state was used in this way. Among the end-use sectors, West Virginia's industrial sector is the largest natural gas consumer, accounting for slightly more than one-third of natural gas deliveries to end-use consumers. The residential sector, where about two in five West Virginia households use natural gas for home heating, received less than one-fourth of the natural gas deliveries to end users. The commercial sector received more than one-fifth.35 The electric power sector accounted for nearly one-fifth of the state's natural gas deliveries. The consumption of natural gas for electric power generation has increased in recent years and was more than seven times greater in 2021 than it was a decade earlier.36,37 Even so, West Virginia is among the 10 states that use the smallest amount of natural gas for power generation.38 Compressed natural gas used as vehicle fuel accounts for a small amount of the state's natural gas consumption. There are two compressed natural gas fueling stations in West Virginia, and only one allows public access.39
Coal
In 2021, West Virginia was the nation’s second-largest coal producer, after Wyoming.
Coal was discovered in West Virginia in the early 1700s, but large-scale mining did not begin until the mid-1800s. Today, coal remains a major contributor to the state economy.40 In 2021, West Virginia was the nation's second-largest coal producer, after Wyoming, and accounted for about 14% of U.S. coal production.41 West Virginia's coal production has declined significantly during the past two decades in part because of less U.S. electric power sector demand for coal.42,43 In 2021, West Virginia's total coal production was less than 79 million short tons, up slightly from the record low in the previous year but still less than half of what it was in 2001.44
In 2021, West Virginia had 12% of recoverable coal reserves at U.S. producing mines, the third-largest reserve base in the nation, after Wyoming and Illinois.45 Coal deposits are found in 53 of West Virginia's 55 counties, but only 43 counties have economically recoverable reserves.46 The state is the nation's largest producer of bituminous coal, the second-most abundant type of coal mined in the United States.47 The southern part of West Virginia produces bituminous coal that is relatively low in sulfur content. Coal from northern West Virginia has a relatively high sulfur content and is less desirable for burning because of its impact on air quality.48
About three-fourths of West Virginia's domestically distributed coal was delivered to electric power plants in 2021.49 Four-fifths of the coal produced that year from West Virginia's 135 coal mines was sent out of state.50 Slightly more than half of that coal went to almost 20 other states, and the remainder went to foreign markets.51 West Virginia is the source of the largest share of the nation's exported coal, and the state accounted for 35% of U.S. coal exports to other countries in 2021.52 Almost all the rest of the state's mined coal is used by West Virginia's electric power sector. Coke plants and industrial facilities use a small amount, and fewer than 1% of the households in the state heat with coal.53,54 West Virginia receives some coal from other states, primarily Pennsylvania, and most of it is delivered to the state's electric power sector.55
Electricity
Coal fueled 91% of West Virginia's total electricity generation in 2021, and 8 of the state's 10 largest power plants, both by capacity and by generation, use coal.56,57 Coal-fired power plants with almost 2,800 megawatts of capacity retired during the past decade and another nearly 1,300 megawatts are scheduled for retirement in 2023. However, in late 2022 West Virginia still had more than 12,500 megawatts of coal-fired capacity.58 In 2021, natural gas, wind, and hydropower supplied almost all the rest of West Virginia's total in-state generation. Natural gas fueled 4% of the state's net generation while wind and hydropower each supplied about 2.5%.59 West Virginia does not produce electricity from nuclear power and is one of eight states east of the Mississippi River without an operating nuclear power plant.60
West Virginia's total electricity sales are less than in about two-thirds of the states, but the state is fourth in the nation in per capita electricity sales.61 In 2021, the state's industrial sector was the largest end-user and accounted for more than two-fifths of West Virginia's electricity consumption. The state's residential sector, where almost half of the households use electricity as their primary source for home heating, accounted for one-third of electricity use.62 The commercial sector consumed the rest.63 Overall, West Virginians typically use about half of the electricity generated in the state. As a result, West Virginia is a net supplier of electricity to the regional grid and is among the top states in interstate transfers of electricity.64 In 2021, only four other states sent more of their electricity generation out of state.65
Petroleum
In 2020, crude oil production in West Virginia reached an all-time annual high of more than 19 million barrels.
West Virginia has a minor amount of crude oil reserves, and the state accounted for less than 0.5% of U.S. crude oil production in 2021.66,67 West Virginia's first commercial oil field began producing just before the Civil War, and the state's total annual crude oil production rose to a high of 16 million barrels in 1900.68 Production did not reach that level again until 2019, when production exceeded 17 million barrels. Crude oil production has continued to rise, and West Virginia wells produced more than 19 million barrels of crude oil in 2020, before declining slightly to about 18 million barrels in 2021.69 Much of the state's oil production comes from recent drilling in the state's northern panhandle, where production includes both natural gas liquids and crude oil.70,71 West Virginia has one oil refinery. It is located on the Ohio River at the tip of the state's northern panhandle in Newel, West Virginia.72 That refinery can process more than 22,000 barrels of crude oil per calendar day into ultra-low sulfur fuels and paraffinic specialty products.73,74
West Virginia uses less petroleum than about three-fourths of the states, but its per capita petroleum consumption is greater than in more than half of the states.75 The transportation sector accounts for nearly three-fourths of state petroleum use.76 Conventional motor gasoline without ethanol can be used statewide, but, as in most of the nation, motor gasoline blended with 10% ethanol is widely available.77,78 West Virginia does not produce any fuel ethanol or biodiesel.79 However, about 1.7 million barrels of fuel ethanol and 154,000 barrels of biodiesel were consumed in the state in 2020.80,81 There are almost 40 fueling stations in West Virginia that sell E85—a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% motor gasoline—and one private access biodiesel fueling station.82 The industrial sector accounts for the second-largest share of state petroleum use. In 2020, industry consumed one-fifth of the petroleum used in the state. The residential sector, where 1 in 14 households heat with petroleum products, used less than 4%. The commercial sector consumed about 3%, and the electric power sector used the rest.83
Renewable energy
Renewable resources provide almost all of West Virginia's electricity generation not fueled by coal or natural gas. In 2021, 5% of the state's total net generation came from renewable resources, nearly all of it from hydropower and wind energy in almost equal amounts. In 2021, hydroelectric power supplied more than 2.5% of the West Virginia's total electricity net generation.84 Hydropower has long been used in mountainous West Virginia, originally to power grist and saw mills and later to generate electricity.85 The oldest hydroelectric power plant still in service in West Virginia began operating in 1909. The largest of the state's dozen hydroelectric facilities is a 97-megawatt power plant built in the mid-1930s, and the newest, with a capacity of 44 megawatts, began operating in 2016.86 In 2021, hydroelectric power supplied nearly twice as much of the state's power as it did in 2001 even though capacity increased by only 15%.87
Wind-powered generation reached an all-time high of about 1.9 million megawatthours in 2020, but declined to about 1.6 megawatthours in 2021, when it provided 2.5% of the state's total net generation.88 Most of West Virginia's wind energy potential and all of its wind turbines are on the narrow ridges in the mountainous eastern third of the state.89 West Virginia's first wind farm came online in 2002, and it largest, Mount Storm, began operating in 2008. A 115-megawatt wind farm came online in northeastern West Virginia in early 2022.90 By mid-2022, the state had almost 860 megawatts of wind capacity.91
Solar energy and biomass contribute small amounts to West Virginia's in-state electricity supply. West Virginia does not have any large, utility-scale (1 megawatt or larger) solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities, although a 50-megawatt solar farm is scheduled to come online in mid-2024 in Berkeley, near the state's northeastern border with Maryland. Small-scale, customer-sited solar PV installations (less than 1 megawatt), such as rooftop panels, contribute minor but increasing amounts of in-state generation. Biomass fuels even smaller amounts of West Virginia's net generation, all of it from one landfill gas facility.92,93
West Virginia adopted a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) in 2009 that required investor-owned electric utilities and retail suppliers with more than 30,000 customers to obtain 25% of their electricity from eligible alternative and renewable energy resources by 2025. However, in 2015, West Virginia became the first state in the nation to completely repeal its RPS.94
Endnotes
1 U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), State Energy Data System, Table P2, Primary Energy Production Estimates in Trillion Btu, 2020.
2 U.S. EIA, West Virginia Profile Data, Environment, accessed November 14, 2022.
3 NETSTATE, The Geography of West Virginia, The Land, updated February 25, 2016.
4 West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, Physiographic Provinces of West Virginia, updated December 18, 2019.
5 West Virginia Office of Energy, Renewable Energy, accessed November 14, 2022.
6 U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, WINDExchange, Wind Energy in West Virginia, accessed November 14, 2022.
7 West Virginia Division of Forestry, Why Forests Matter, accessed November 14, 2022.
8 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table P5A, 2020, and Table P5B, 2020.
9 Vance, Timothy, 2020 Marcellus Shale and Utica‐Point Pleasant Production Summary, West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (January 27, 2022).
10 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data 2020: Production, Table PT2, Primary Energy Production Estimates in Trillion Btu, West Virginia, 1960-2020.
11 U.S. EIA, Rankings: Total Energy Consumed per Capita, 2020.
12 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table F33, Total Energy Consumption, Price, and Expenditure Estimates, 2020.
13 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Interactive Data, Regional Data, Regional GDP & Personal Income, Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by State, GDP in current dollars, West Virginia, All statistics in table, 2020, 2021.
14 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table F33, Total Energy Consumption, Price, and Expenditure Estimates, 2020.
15 U.S. EIA, Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals and Production, Marketed Production, 2016-21.
16 U.S. EIA, Top U.S. Oil and Gas Fields (March 2015), Table 2, Top 100 U.S. gas fields as of December 31, 2013, p. 8.
17 U.S. EIA, "Appalachia region drives growth in U.S. natural gas production since 2012," Today in Energy (December 4, 2017).
18 U.S. EIA, Shale Gas. Proved Reserves as of Dec. 31, 2020.
19 U.S. EIA, Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals and Production, West Virginia, 2016-21.
20 U.S. EIA, Natural Gas Reserves Summary as of December 31, 2020, Wet NG and Dry Natural Gas.
21 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data 2020: Production, Table PT2, Primary Energy Production Estimates in Trillion Btu, West Virginia, 1960-2020.
22 U.S. EIA, West Virginia Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals (Million Cubic Feet), 1967-2021.
23 U.S. EIA, Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals and Production, West Virginia, 2016-21.
24 U.S. EIA, West Virginia Profile Overview, View the Interactive Map, accessed November 16, 2022.
25 U.S. EIA, "Natural gas production far exceeded consumption in West Virginia in 2019," Today in Energy (February 1, 2021).
26 U.S. EIA, Natural Gas Consumption by End Use, Total Consumption, Annual, 2016-21.
27 U.S. EIA, Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals and Production, Marketed Production, Annual, 2016-21.
28 U.S. EIA, International and Interstate Movements of Natural Gas by State, West Virginia, 2016-21.
29 U.S. EIA, "Northeast region slated for record natural gas pipeline capacity buildout in 2018," Today in Energy (May 18, 2018).
30 U.S. EIA, Natural Gas, Pipeline Projects (XLS), accessed November 16, 2022.
31 U.S. EIA, "U.S. natural gas processing plant capacity and throughput have increased in recent years," Today in Energy (March 7, 2019).
32 U.S. EIA, Underground Natural Gas Storage Capacity, West Virginia, Annual, 2016-21.
33 U.S. EIA, Underground Natural Gas Storage Capacity, Total Storage Capacity, Annual, 2016-21.
34 Clemente, Jude, "West Virginia Emerging as a Natural Gas Powerhouse," Rigzone (September 23, 2019).
35 U.S. Census Bureau, West Virginia, Table B25040, House Heating Fuel, 2021 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.
36 U.S. EIA, Natural Gas Consumption by End Use, West Virginia, 2016-21.
37 U.S. EIA, West Virginia Natural Gas Deliveries to Electric Power Consumers (Million Cubic Feet), Annual, 1997-2021.
38 U.S. EIA, Natural Gas Consumption by End Use, Volumes Delivered to Electric Power Consumers, Annual, 2021.
39 U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center, Alternative Fueling Station Locator, West Virginia, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Public and Private Access, Available, accessed November 16, 2022.
40 West Virginia Geologic and Economic Survey, History of West Virginia Mineral Industries-Coal, updated June 20, 2017.
41 U.S. EIA, Annual Coal Report 2021 (October 2022), Table 6, Coal Production and Number of Mines by State and Coal Rank, 2021.
42 U.S. EIA, "In 2020, U.S. coal production fell to its lowest level since 1965," Today in Energy (July 14, 2021).
43 Holzman, J., "Coal output declined 14.3% at top 25 Central Appalachian mines in 2020," S&P Global Market Intelligence (February 17, 2021).
44 U.S. EIA, Coal Data Browser, Aggregate coal mine production for all coal, Annual, West Virginia, 2001-21.
45 U.S. EIA, Annual Coal Report 2021 (October 2022), Table 14, Recoverable Coal Reserves at Producing Mines by State, 2021 and 2020.
46 West Virginia Office of Energy, Coal, accessed November 18, 2022.
47 U.S. EIA, Annual Coal Report 2021 (October 2022), Table 6, Coal Production and Number of Mines by State and Coal Rank, 2021.
48 Milici, Robert C., and Kristin O. Dennen, Production and Depletion of Appalachian and Illinois Basin Coal Resources, Chapter H, The National Coal Resource Assessment Overview, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1625-F (2009), p. 5-6.
49 U.S. EIA, Annual Coal Distribution Report 2021 (October 2022), By Coal Origin State, West Virginia, Table OS-25, Domestic Coal Distribution, by Origin State, 2021.
50 U.S. EIA, Annual Coal Report 2021(October 2022), Table 1, Coal Production and Number of Mines by State and Mine Type, 2021 and 2020.
51 U.S. EIA, Annual Coal Distribution Report 2021 (October 2022), By Coal Origin State, West Virginia, Table OS-25, Domestic Coal Distribution, by Origin State, 2021.
52 U.S. EIA, Annual Coal Distribution Report 2021 (October 2022), Domestic and Foreign Distribution of U.S. Coal by State of Origin, 2021.
53 U.S. EIA, Annual Coal Distribution Report 2021 (October 2022), By Coal Origin State, West Virginia, Table OS-25, Domestic Coal Distribution, by Origin State, 2021.
54 U.S. Census Bureau, West Virginia, Table B25040, House Heating Fuel, 2021 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.
55 U.S. EIA, Annual Coal Distribution Report 2021 (October 2022), By Coal Destination State, West Virginia, Table DS-42, Domestic Coal Distribution, by Destination State, 2021.
56 U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors, West Virginia, Fuel Type (Check all), Annual, 2001-21.
57 U.S. EIA, West Virginia Electricity Profile 2021, Tables 2A, 2B.
58 U.S. EIA, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860), Inventory of Operating Generators as of October 2022 and Inventory of Retired Generators as of October 2022.
59 U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors, West Virginia, Fuel Type (Check all), Annual, 2001-21.
60 U.S. EIA Electric Power Monthly (November 2022), Table 1.9.B.
61 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table C17, Electricity Retail Sales, Total and Residential, Total and per Capita, Ranked by State, 2020.
62 U.S. Census Bureau, West Virginia, Table B25040, House Heating Fuel, 2021 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.
63 U.S. EIA, Electric Power Monthly (February 2022), Table 5.4.B.
64 U.S. EIA, West Virginia Electricity Profile 2021, Table 10.
65 U.S. EIA, Electric Power Monthly (February 2022), Tables 1.3.B, 5.4.B.
66 U.S. EIA, Crude Oil Proved Reserves, Reserves Changes, and Production, Proved Reserves as of December 31, 2020.
67 U.S. EIA, Crude Oil Production, Annual Thousand Barrels, 2016-21.
68 West Virginia Office of Energy, Petroleum, accessed October 16, 2021.
69 U.S. EIA, West Virginia Field Production of Crude Oil, 1991-2021.
70 West Virginia Office of Energy, Petroleum, accessed November 20, 2022.
71 West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, Oil and Gas Production Data, Oil-Gas Summary Production Statistics Query Page, 2021, revised July 29, 2021.
72 U.S. EIA, West Virginia Profile Overview, View the interactive map, accessed November 20, 2022.
73 U.S. EIA, Number and Capacity of Petroleum Refineries, West Virginia, 2022.
74 Ergon, Ergon-West Virginia, Inc. (EWV), accessed November 20, 2022.
75 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table C15, Petroleum Consumption, Total and per Capita, Ranked by State, 2020.
76 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table F16, Total Petroleum Consumption Estimates, 2020.
77 American Petroleum Institute, U.S. Gasoline Requirements as of January 2018.
78 U.S. EIA, "Almost all U.S. gasoline is blended with 10% ethanol," Today in Energy (May 4, 2016).
79 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table P1, Primary Energy Production Estimates in Physical Units, 2020.
80 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table F25, Fuel ethanol consumption estimates, 2020.
81 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table F26, Biodiesel Consumption Estimates, 2020.
82 U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center, Alternative Fueling Station Locator, West Virginia, Ethanol (E85), public and private access, and Biodiesel (B20 and above), accessed November 20, 2022.
83 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table F16, Total Petroleum Consumption Estimates, 2020.
84 U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors, West Virginia, Conventional hydroelectric, Small-scale solar photovoltaic, Annual, 2001-21.
85 The West Virginia Encyclopedia, Hydroelectricity, updated May 20, 2013.
86 U.S. EIA, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860), Inventory of Planned Generators as of October 2022.
87 U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors, West Virginia, Conventional hydroelectric, Small-scale solar photovoltaic, Annual, 2001-21.
88 U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors, West Virginia, Fuel Type (Check all), Annual, 2001-21.
89 U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, WINDExchange, Wind Energy in West Virginia, accessed October 16, 2021.
90 U.S. EIA, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860), Inventory of Planned Generators as of October 2022.
91 U.S. EIA, Electric Power Monthly (October 2022), Table 6.2.B.
92 U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors, West Virginia, All fuels, All solar, Small-scale solar photovoltaic, Biomass, Annual, 2001-21.
93 U.S. EIA, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860), Inventory of Planned Generators as of October 2022.
94 Fried, Rona, "West Virginia: First State to Repeal Renewable Portfolio Standard!" SustainableBusiness.com (January 23, 2015).
Other Resources
Energy-Related Regions and Organizations
- Coal Region: Appalachian
- Petroleum Administration for Defense District (PADD): 1C
- Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) and Independent System Operator (ISO): PJM Interconnection (PJM)
- North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) ERO Enterprise: Regional Entities: Reliability First Corporation (RFC)
Other Websites
- West Virginia Office of Energy
- West Virginia Community Advancement and Development, Weatherization Assistance Program
- Public Service Commission of West Virginia
- West Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training
- West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Children and Families, Utility Assistance, LIHEAP
- West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Oil and Gas
- West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Air Quality - Energy Efficiency
- EIA West Virginia Flickr Album
- Southern States Energy Board
- Alternative Fuels Data Center, Federal and State Laws and Incentives
- Benefits.Gov, Housing and Public Utilities
- NC Clean Energy Technology Center, Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE)
- National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC)
- National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO)
- National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Energy
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Geospatial Data Science Data and Tools
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Publications
- U.S. Geological Survey, Maps
- Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission
- Southeastern Power Administration
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Energy Flow Charts
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, State and Local Planning for Energy (SLOPE)
- EIA Natural Gas Storage Dashboard
- EIA Energy Disruptions
