The huge reserve of natural gas locked underneath many North Texans’ homes has been brewing there since about 500 million years ago. But only in the past year or two have nearby residents — those who live above the coveted fuel — received a cut of the wealth.

The drilling trend has moved east, from rural farms in Fort Worth sitting on proverbial “gold mines,” to half-acre lots in the suburbs.

In Flower Mound, the majority of the sites are in the undeveloped part of the town, though applications for drilling are creeping eastward.

Competition is heavy for some drilling companies, who are vying to lease the mineral rights about a mile below some residents’ doorsteps.

The Barnett shale, as the area is called, includes about 17 counties in North and Central Texas that shelter the natural gas deep in the rocks below, according to the Barnett Shale Energy Education Council. It’s the largest natural gas reserve in the country, and it’s caught the eye of energy companies, cities and some hopeful homeowners.

Whether landowners cash in or not, inquiry has bubbled to the surface right alongside the precious natural gas. The gas boom

Natural gas from the North Texas area is providing about 25 percent of the United States’ clean-burning energy needs, said Jerri Robbins, manager of public relations of Barnett shale for Chesapeake Energy.

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