PITTSBURGH — Investment and production in the Marcellus Shale natural gas field is growing faster than expected, according to a new industry-sponsored report release today.

The Marcellus Shale Coalition-funded report says production increased more than four-fold from 300 million cubic feet per day in 2009 to 1.3 billion in 2010, while the number of wells in production increased from 595 in 2009 to 1,055 in 2010.

Estimates are that production this year will be more than two-and-a-half times last year's figure.

An expert not involved with the report said there is encouraging data, but also urged caution.

"My view is that there's some reason for being a skeptic," said Michael Arthur of the Department of Geosciences at Penn State University. "From what I've seen from the Marcellus we don't have data to effectively make accurate long-term projections."

According to the report 2,300 new wells may be drilled this year, and about 2,400 more in each of the next five years.

Total spending is projected to rise to $12.7 billion this year from $3.2 billion in 2008, said the report. It also claims employment growth, with about 60,000 jobs in 2009 growing to nearly 140,000 last year.

The industry projects more than 156,000 will be employed this year.

By The Associated Press