Bill Zagorski is a petroleum geologist who has spent most of his career exploring the greater Appalachian basins. While working with Range Resources, Bill’s group drilled a Silurian carbonate target trapped over a deep structure which demonstrated strong gas shows in the shallower Marcellus Shale. Production tests in the Silurian target were unsuccessful. At the same time, after reviewing a Barnett shale analog in a different basin, Bill and his team recognized the link between the evolving Barnett shale play and the untested Marcellus play. They re-focused their efforts and tested the Marcellus Shale with encouraging results in 2004 through 2007. This resulted in the drilling of four experimental horizontal wells in the Marcellus where they learned to target the best layers within the Marcellus for optimal production. Initial production rates increased with each subsequent well. The play expanded regionally in late 2007 after these initial successes were reported. Bill was recognized by the AAPG for his contributions with the Norman H. Foster Outstanding Explorer Award in 2013.