U.S. drilling boom eyes natural gas

HOUSTON, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A new U.S. drilling boom has sent natural gas production flaring at a clip not seen in half a century, pushing down fuel prices, analysts say.

Advanced technology is being used by the new breed of drillers to release gas trapped in huge shale beds throughout North America and long considered unreachable, The New York Times reported Monday.

Natural gas is considered the cleanest fossil fuel, releasing less of the emissions that cause global warming than coal or oil. Observers believe a sustained increase in gas supplies over the next decade could slow the rise of utility bills and lessen the need to import gas as well as making energy-intensive industries more competitive, the Times said.

While not everyone is sure additional supplies can last for decades, senior Democrats in Congress see it as an alternative fuel for transportation, the report says. They told the Times natural gas can serve as a stopgap until renewable sources of energy, like solar and wind power, become widely economical.