The Role of Natural Gas in the North American Energy Equation
As a result of technological advances, natural gas has become the most abundant and economical energy source available within the world today.
The largest recoverable reserves are located in the Marcellus and Utica Shales in the Northeast U.S. that includes Eastern Ohio and most of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Natural gas will play a major role in supplying both domestic and international needs for the next 100 years. However, environmentalists’ unrealistic calls for leaving the gas in the ground – “to reduce the rate of climate change” – threaten the future of the oil & gas industry as well as the security and economic well-being of the U.S.
This presentation will provide a brief overview of the important role that natural gas is expected to play in the U.S., its strategic importance, and the potential impact of the rapidly growing energy demands of developing countries by 2030. It will further discuss how all energy sources, including renewables, are expected to develop and what their relative merits are in terms of strategic importance, economic impact and sustainability.
W. Norman Shade, Jr., PE
Sr. Consultant & President Emeritus, ACI Services Inc.
W. Norm Shade is Sr. Consultant and President-Emeritus of ACI Services Inc., headquartered in Cambridge, OH. He received BME and MSME degrees from The Ohio State University, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1970, and he is a registered professional engineer in the States of Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.
Before leading ACI from 2004 through March of 2013, he spent 32 years in various engineering, management and executive positions with Cooper Cameron Corporation including Director of Engineering, General Manager, and VP – Product Development.
- His current work with ACI includes development of a revolutionary linear motor reciprocating compressor in conjunction with Southwest Research Institute and the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as leading an industry-wide Gas Machinery Research Council program to develop a new design and application guideline for high-speed compressor packages in field gas services.
- His new book, Gas Compression: A Primer on Compression Equipment and Technology, is being published one chapter at a time in the monthly issues of Gas Compressor Magazine, and he is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and training events.
- He has authored more than 360 published articles and technical papers, serving as a regular columnist and Contributing Editor for COMPRESSORTechTwo magazine.
- In 2003 he started his own Houston, TX based consulting company that continues to provide market research and technical services to companies in the oil and gas industry and related fields.
- Shade is Past-Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Gas Compressor Association (GCA) and is active in the Gas Machinery Research Council (GMRC), Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and the Gas Electric Partnership, having held many positions and committee chairmanships.
- He is an ASME Fellow and has received a number of other awards including the GCA Distinguished Service Award, the GMRC Edwin N. Henderson Award for service to the gas compression industry, the ASME Distinguished Service Award, the Ohio State University E.G. Bailey Entrepreneurship Award, nominee for the Association of Ohio Community Colleges Friend of Community Colleges Award and Honorary Associate in Public Service Degree from Zane State College.
- He currently serves on advisory committees for the Ohio State University Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Zane State College Energy Technology and Gas Compression Programs.
- He has taken leadership roles in churches and other community organizations wherever he has lived and enjoys singing, playing 12-string guitar and watching college athletics in any spare time. Norm and his wife of 49 years, Patricia, have 2 daughters, 1 son (deceased) and 6 grandchildren.