A panel of experts on shale gas drilling and it's economic benefits shared their knowledge on Friday morning with 75 local business and industry professionals, government officials and students.

A Think About Energy Briefing organized by State Rep. Marci Mustello, R-11th, was held at Butler County Community College's Founders Hall. The forums are being held across the state to apprise counties of the industry's positive impact.

George Stark of Cabot Oil and Gas Corp., Joe McGinn of Energy Transfer, Dave Spigelmyer of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, Lisa Campbell of BC3 and Mustello each spoke for 10 minutes on the many and varied positive effects the county and region has experienced since shale gas drilling began in 2008.

The officials said Butler County is the 7th largest gas producer of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, that countless jobs have been filled in the shale gas field and in industries "downstream" that support gas development, and farmers are large beneficiaries of shale gas development.

This is an excerpt of an article that will appear in Sunday's Butler Eagle. Make sure to pick up the weekend edition or subrscribe online to read the entire article.