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Haynesville Shale
The Haynesville Shale gas formation, located in East Texas, Southwestern Arkansas and Western Louisiana, encompasses over 9,000 square miles and is considered to be the second largest natural gas shale formation in the United States. The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources estimates that there could be up to 251 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the Haynesville Shale [2] . The shale rock ranges in depth from 10,500 to 13,500 feet, about two miles below the surface, and is about 200 to 300 feet thick.
Technological advances such as horizontal drilling paired with hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, have allowed energy companies to unlock the energy resources from the Haynesville Shale gas formation, while protecting drinking water sources and the environment .
The development of natural gas resources in the Haynesville Shale is boosting the economies of the surrounding communities and states. In 2009 alone, energy companies brought over $7 billion of economic activity to Louisiana with over $957 million in lease payments and another $306 million in royalty payments. The extraction activities helped the state create over 57,000 new jobs.