Oil and gas drilling permits climbing in Ohio, Pa.

SALEM, Ohio — In March and April, there were 268 permits issued in Pennsylvania to drill and operate an unconventional well, with more than half of those issued in the two southwestern counties of Greene and Washington.

There were 106 permits issued in Greene County between March 1 and May 5, 2017, including seven permits to drill deeper.

In the Buckeye State, there were 112 permits issued during March and April, with a third of them issued for well sites in Belmont County in southeastern Ohio.

Pennsylvania

In addition to the 106 permits issued in Greene County, there were 36 permits issued in Washington County.

In the northcentral region of Pennsylvania, there were 22 permits issued in Lycoming County, which now has 826 active unconventional (horizontal) wells; seven permits in Bradford County, which has 1,109 active unconventional wells; and 18 in Susquehanna, which has the second highest number of active unconventional wells in the state, at 1,276.

Washington County has the most active unconventional wells drilled since Jan. 1, 2005, at 1,472. Greene County has 1,109 active unconventional wells.

Other western Pennsylvania counties receiving drilling permits in March and April were: Allegheny, 1; Armstrong, 5; Butler, 15; Crawford, 1; Jefferson, 3; Mercer, 2; and Westmoreland, 5.

Since Jan. 1, 2005, there have been 8,977 unconventional wells drilled in Pennsylvania.

Ohio permits

There were 21 permits issued in March in Belmont County, 11 permits issued in April and six so far in May, by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Ascent Resources Utica received three permits in March, two in Colerain Township on the Bakos and Oliver well sites, and one in Union Township on the Prosser site.

Gulfport Energy Corporation received two permits in March, for two Hogston wells in Washington Township. One of those is either being drilled or has been drilled. The company also received seven permits in April, including three in Goshen Township for the White wells, and four in Richland Township, all for the Barton wells.

As of May 5, the company had also received six permits for the Tiger wells in Mead Township.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources issued only 13 permits in March 2016.

Rice Drilling received 15 Belmont County drilling permits in March. Six were for sites in Goshen Township, including three for the Iron Warrior wells, and three for the Bounty Hunter wells. The King Krunch well sites in Smith Township received five permits, and the Smashosaurus well in Mead Township received four permits.

In April, Rice received four permits, all for the Dreamweaver wells in Mead Township.

XTO Energy received a permit in March for the Cook unit in Richland Township.

Jefferson County. There were 12 permits issued in March in Jefferson County, all but one to Ascent Resources. The 12th permit went to Chesapeake Appalachia, for the Zimox well in Wells Township, which is currently being drilled.

Eight of Ascent’s March permits were for sites in Smithfield Township, five to the Club well sites, and three to the Piergallini wells. All are currently being drilled. Ascent also received three permits in March for the Wilma wells in Warren Township, and is actively drilling them.

There were 11 permits issued in April in Jefferson County. Chesapeake Exploration LLC received seven permits, all in Island Creek Township. Two are for the Acton well sites, where one well is currently being drilled; two are for the Bozich wells; and three are wells owned by the Schiappa Trust, and drilling is underway on one of those sites.

Ascent Resources Utica LLC received four permits for the Harr well sites in Mount Pleasant Township, and drilling is underway on three of those wells.

Guernsey County. Eclipse Resources received seven permits in Guernsey County in March, including six in Millwood Township for two Yanosik wells, two Yost wells, the Outlaw well and the Great Scott well. Drilling is underway on four of those sites. Drilling is also underway on Eclipse’s Fineran well in Wills Township. (Related: Eclipse sets new record with 19,300-foot lateral on the Great Scott well.)

Ascent Resources Utica received six permits in April, all for the Raber wells in Londonderry Township, which are all currently being drilled.

Harrison County. Chesapeake Exploration received five permits in April for sites in Harrison County. Four are for the Garvey well in North Township and one is for the Hanchin site in German Township.

Noble County. Antero Resources received four permits in Noble County in March, all for sites in Beaver Township, two for the Loretta units, and two for the Dale Yoder units. Drilling is underway on all of those units.

In April, Antero Resources received five permits for well sites in Noble County’s Wayne Township. Three were for the Quinn units, and drilling is underway on one of those legs. Two permits were for a well called “Walleye,” and drilling is also underway on one of those permits.

Monroe County. There were eight permits issued in March in Monroe County, all to Antero Resources, and all in Malaga Township. There were three permits issued for the Harper wells, three for the Crestone units and two for the Carlin units. Drilling is underway at five of those sites.

Antero Resources received one permit in April, for the Harrison unit in Malaga Township, where drilling is underway.

And so far in May, eight permits have been granted in Monroe County. CNX Gas Company received three for the Roberts wells in Switzerland Township; Antero Resources received one for a Harrison unit in Malaga Township; and EM Energy Ohio received four for the Valenka wells in Perry Township.

Carroll County. In March, Chesapeake Exploration received six permits, including two for the Whitacre and Bowling sites in Brown Township that are currently being drilled, and four in Orange Township for the Donald well sites.

Columbiana County. Chesapeake Exploration received two permits in March in Columbiana County, one for the Manziel well site in Franklin Township and one for the Sevek well in Washington Township. Both are listed as drilled on ODNR status information.

Washington County. There was one permit issued in March in Washington County, to Protege Energy III for the Big Red well site in Liberty Township.