Natural gas boom projected to fuel job growth

The Houston Chronicle reports:

A nationwide boom in natural gas production is set to fuel nearly 900,000 jobs and add roughly $1,000 to annual household budgets by 2015, according to a new industry study released Tuesday.

The boom in shale gas production nationwide - exemplified by modern-day drilling boom towns that have sprung up in Pennsylvania, North Texas and western states - is a bright spot in the U.S. economy, said the study's lead author, John Larson, vice president of IHS Global Insight, an energy research firm based in suburban Denver.

"Shale is really proving to be a very big job creator. It really stands in sharp contrast to many sectors of the economy," Larson said. "During a significant economic downturn - the most significant since World War II - that's pretty remarkable."

Jobs.