Thursday, November 15, 2018
The proliferation of hydraulic fracturing to extract oil and natural gas has been one of the most profound drivers of regional-level growth prospects in recent memory, writes Kark Kuykendall, principal economist, U.S. regional economics, at IHS Markit. It revitalized the energy industry in traditional oil-producing states such as Texas and Oklahoma and opened up brand new industries in North Dakota and Pennsylvania, bringing an economic windfall to rural areas that otherwise would attract little interest for outside investment.