NORTH JACKSON, Ohio — BP has decided to make a home in the Mahoning Valley.
The company showed off their new headquarters in North Jackson Dec. 17, as officials talked about their plans for 2014.
Ohio Program Manager Bruce Abduhhl said all of the leases obtained through the Associated Landowners of the Ohio Valley have been paid and the due diligence portion of the leasing has been completed.
Next phase
This means that the next phase can begin for the ALOV leases.
Abduhhl said BP has identified 10 locations in Trumbull County for appraisal wells to be drilled, but would not elaborate on the exact locations.
The first one is due to be drilled in April 2013. It is described as being on the east side of Mosquito Lake.
Abduhhl said the unitization hearing in Columbus was Dec. 14 and approved. The unit will contain approximately 500 acres. He said BP will attempt to stay around the 500-acre mark depending on the location of the land to the well.
He cautioned that this is only the appraisal portion and not the development of the shale play, which would mean more wells depending on what BP finds.
The second well to be drilled is scheduled for July 2013.
The locations for all 10 wells is being determined by the contiguous land leases and their locations to state highways. Abduhhl would not elaborate on which townships the company is considering.
He added that in order for the development phase to begin in Trumbull County, significant infrastructure will need to be built, which may mean partnering with a midstream processor and building pipelines.
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