Online map gives new look at shale and energy

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has launched the most comprehensive and interactive view of the U.S. government’s national and state energy data and information currently available to the public, including information about the Utica and Marcellus shale plays.

Found at www.eia.gov/state, the state energy portal adds a visual dimension to each state’s energy resources and infrastructure.

Interactive

Users can locate and compare state energy data and rankings and customize their own maps and charts, using an assortment of interactive tools.

The portal takes EIA’s portfolio of state energy data and analyses and organizes it geographically. Its comprehensive 30-layer mapping feature provides a dynamic visual representation of energy infrastructure and energy resources at the national, state, Congressional district, or county level.

Map layers for federal lands and electric reliability regions are also included.

Users can pan and zoom in to see energy facilities and resources related to:

• Production: power plants, oil refineries, and coal mines;
• Distribution: electric transmission lines, natural gas pipelines, and liquefied natural gas import terminals;
• Renewable energy resources: wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal potential.

State ranking

In addition to customizable maps, the portal summarizes each state’s ranking of its energy production, consumption, prices, and more.

Users can dig into any state’s energy profile to learn more about its crude oil and natural gas production, renewable resources, natural gas and electricity prices, and carbon dioxide emissions and compare that data to other states and the national average.

For detailed information on any of the 6,300 power plants in the United States, such as the amount of fuel used and monthly output of a specific facility, the portal links users directly to that plant’s data in EIA’s electricity data browser.

The state energy portal includes a help function with popup notes that explain the navigation, along with a video demonstration of its features.