Cheers Gail and thanks for the excellent article. Just a few thoughts:

1. Doesn't this put a little wrinkle in the 'peak oil' situation? Can we use Nat Gas to release some of the burden on Coal and potentially, oil?
2. As for excess gas, doesn't this play well to the Pickens plan? If we could run 10% of our transport on Nat Gas, wouldn't that help ease any glut while providing a more steady demand? Added benefit -- less foreign oil imports (10% Nat gas + 10% biofuels + 20% efficiency gain +10% all electric might just destroy our imports and achieve the dream of energy independence -- I know, you guys will all cry cornucopia. Just a thought).
3. How much of the gas could we liquefy and export? Europe needs gas bad. Russia is a geopolitical problem. A few bargaining chips other than the navy in the Black Sea would be nice.
4. Can you 'crack' gas into traditional petroleum products? If so, at what cost/EROI?
5. With demand curtailed for oil and new supply of nat gas is the energy market headed for a mini bust?
6. Chemicals/plastics/fertilizer. Bring more industry back to the states. Am I wrong???
7. This looks like one giant opportunity in need of a few good capitalists.
8. Or would it be best just to pace production so we can make the best use of our resource over the longest period?

As for 4: Yes, I think this should be possible. Methane has even advantages to longer hydrocarbon chains as it has a better hydrogen/carbon ratio. So a plethora of natural gas would be a great fix to bridge the gaps opened by peak oil. But I'm still not sure how far the UNG resources provide is a sustainable solution or are only a temporary straw fire (see the comments below).