County at a Glance - Clay

History^1,2: Formed in 1858 from parts of Braxton, Kanawha, and Nicholas counties, and named in honor of Henry Clay, Kentucky statesman.
Area (square miles)¹: 346.61
County Seat¹: Clay
Population (1990)¹: 9,983
Leading Industries and Chief Agricultural Products¹: coal, lumber, natural gas, petroleum, camper manufacturing, hay and grain, livestock, poultry

Coal Facts and Figures3

   Coal Reserve Summary
      Original Mineable Reserves = 3,237,869,854 tons
      Reported Production, 1883-1995 = 58,134,785 tons
      Estimated Loss = 38,756,523 tons
      Estimated Recoverable Reserves = 1,884,587,127 tons

   Coal Production, 1995
      Total Production = 4,288,144 tons
         Production from Underground Mines =  42,973 tons
         (Number of Underground Mines = 2)
            Conventional =      0 tons
              Continuous = 42,973 tons
                Longwall =      0 tons
                   Other =      0 tons
         Production from Surface Mines =   4,245,171 tons
         (Number of Surface Mines = 6)


Gas and Oil Facts and Figures4

   NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING DATA ARE PRELIMINARY VALUES--
   NOT ALL 1995 DATA HAVE BEEN REPORTED AND
   NOT ALL 1995 DATA HAVE BEEN QUALITY CHECKED.

   Gas Production, 1995
      Total Reported Production = 2,902,392 thousand cubic feet (Mcf)
      Well Count = 901
      Average Production = 3,221.3 Mcf

   Oil Production, 1995
      Total Reported Production = 77,179 barrels (bbl)
      Well Count = 272
      Average Production = 283.7 bbl

¹ Information Source = Counties in West Virginia Blue Book - 1995: D. E. Holmes (ed.), Chapman Printing, vol. 77, p. 731-846.

² Information Source = New Descriptive Atlas of West Virginia: 1933, Clarksburg Publishing Company, 64 p.

³ Information Source = Statistical Section in Annual Report and Directory of Mines - 1995, West Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety, and Training, July 1996, p. 23-66. [Note: Original Mineable Reserves from the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (WVGES)]

⁴ Information Source = West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP); data have undergone a cursory quality check by the WVGES

Page last revised: November 16, 2005