Is shale development drilling holes in the human capital pipeline?

Dan Rickman, Hongbo Wang and John Winters

Energy Economics, 2017, vol. 62, issue C, 283-290

Abstract: Using the Synthetic Control Method (SCM) and a novel method for measuring changes in educational attainment we examine the link between educational attainment and shale oil and gas extraction for the states of Montana, North Dakota, and West Virginia. The three states examined are economically-small, relatively more rural, and have high levels of shale oil and gas reserves. They also are varied in that West Virginia is intensive in shale gas extraction, while the other two are intensive in shale oil extraction. We find significant reductions in high school and college attainment among all three states' initial residents because of the shale booms.

Keywords: Shale development; Synthetic Control Method; Educational attainment; Resource curse (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I25 J24 Q32 Q33 R11 R23 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (53)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Is Shale Development Drilling Holes in the Human Capital Pipeline? (2016)
Working Paper: Is Shale Development Drilling Holes in the Human Capital Pipeline? (2015)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:62:y:2017:i:c:p:283-290

DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2016.12.013

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