The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on Oct. 24 featured the greater Pittsburgh region in the article, “Cheap Natural Gas Gives New Hope to the Rust Belt.” The article and a WSJ mobile video largely focus on our abundant supply of natural gas and the potential – beyond fuel – that this resource has as a feedstock for manufacturing, particularly for the petrochemical industry.

Earlier this year, Shell Chemicals announced that it is considering building an ethane cracker in Beaver County. The proposed plant would have huge economic impact. It would rank as the single largest investment in a generation in the region and would be the creator of potentially thousands of construction jobs, in addition to hundreds of full-time jobs needed to operate the facility.

The wet gas-rich Marcellus Shale concentrated in greater Pittsburgh is the catalyst. Because of this below-ground resource (alongside above-ground resources in human capital, innovation and R&D), Pittsburgh is poised to take the next step toward reviving manufacturing in America.

It’s an exciting time for the country and for greater Pittsburgh, and it’s exciting to have the region and some of its key companies benefiting from natural gas, including Allegheny Technologies, recognized in the Wall Street Journal, which reaches 3.5 million global readers daily.

The word is out – in print, broadcast and in the blogosphere – and it underpins three key messages about greater Pittsburgh and its booming energy economy. Pittsburgh is: advancing America’s energy security with innovation; investing in American manufacturing’s rebirth with its plentiful natural gas; and driving job creation and career opportunities to meet the ever-expanding needs of the energy sector.

You can read the latest “word” with a WSJ subscription (the article is behind a paywall) or you can view the mobile video here, which is available without subscription. It’s a solid summary of the print article, featuring lots of on-location footage in Beaver County and an interview with Jack Manning from the Beaver County Chamber of Commerce.