oil rig landscape
The oil and gas industry has certainly made it’s mark on the region surrounding Marietta, Ohio.
Pretty much anyone you talk to knows someone who is either working in the industry, trying to get a job with one of the companies involved, in negotiations for land leasing to an oil and gas company, actively trying to prevent the oil and gas companies from gaining a stronger foothold, or simply watching everything with a wary and careful eye.
But besides being the new giant in the room, how does the presence of oil and gas companies effect your life?
While I can’t know your answer to this- and honestly I’d love to know in the comments below, I image that the oil and gas companies affect the lives of the people around them in a few different ways- which are very similar to the ways I have seen in other locations.
They Bring in Hope of Economic Recovery
For many people, the introduction of gas and oil exploration into the area brings the assurances of economic boom and recovery- things that a lot of places in this country are lacking. New employment opportunities often come in the beginning during the initial set up phase, but it can be difficult to keep localized job figures growing since many of the well paying jobs offered required specialized training to compete effectively. But, an increase in the money flowing through the area does happen, and that has the potential to help other area businesses.
They Bring and Noise and Smell
Believe it or not, one of the most prevalent things that people have noticed in the past when the oil and gas companies move into the area is the increase in noise and the overall smell of the area. Not surprisingly, the machinery needed to extract oil and natural gas from the ground aren’t exactly quiet, and the process of refining the raw material can create an overall lowering of air quality due to the release of various substances during the refining process.
They Bring Changes to the Landscape
Another change that the oil and gas industry has the potential to bring to the Marietta Ohio and surrounding region is they have the potential to truly transform the landscape. While the process of oil and gas extraction has become much better in the last decade, it is still a very invasive process– the company has to drill, dig, pump, and extract the material out of the ground in order to use it after all. If you’re prepared to encourage the presence of oil and gas exploration in your neighborhood, it’s best to be prepared for having your beautiful landscaped dotted with machinery, forested land removed, and quite possibly the groundwater affected, and the property value lessened.
Finding a balance between the economic recoveries that are needed today, and the future that is needed tomorrow can be difficult. It will take working together- both the people living in the area, and the oil and gas companies to find a way to make sure that our lives become better, and the future becomes brighter.
So I’m curious- what kind of changes have you seen to the Marietta Ohio region since oil and gas exploration have increased? Are they good or bad in your opinion?