Marcellus and Utica shale: May appears to be busy month for permitting

SALEM, Ohio — May proved to be a busy one for gas drillers applying for permits to drill through the Utica shale in Ohio.

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ recent Utica shale activity report, there were 14 permits issued in Carroll County alone.

In Carroll County, there were six permits issued for Loudon Township, two in Union and Washington, respectively. There were permits also issued for sites in Fox, Monroe, Rose, Orange and Perry townships.

In Columbiana County, there were four permits issued: two in Hanover, one in Center and one in Knox Township.

According to the ODNR, there was one permit issued for Mill Creek Township in Coshocton County to Anadarko E&P Co.

In addition, there was a permit issued to Petroleum Development Corporation for Wills Township in Guernsey County.

Chesapeake Exploration was issued permits in Stock Township in Harrison County, one each in Island Creek and Rose townships in Jefferson County; one in Green Township in Mahoning County; one in Marlboro and one in Paris Township in Stark County; and one in Warren Township in Tuscarawas County.

Antero Reserve Appalachian Corporation was issued a permit for a well site in Seneca Township in Monroe County.

As of May 30, the ODNR reported issuing 236 permits for horizontal drilling since 2010 and a total of 72 wells have been drilled.

Although, the wells are being drilled, there appears to be a delay between drilling and fracking, according to the report.

According to the report, 20 wells are waiting to be fracked.

Hydraulic fracturing is a process commonly used in oil development. It is a technique that cracks open rock layers to free natural gas.

There are currently two wells being fracked and eight wells that have been fracked.

Across the border in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued a total of 217 permits during May. Although the number seems high, many farms or property had more than one permit issued for the individual wells being drilled.

Tioga County, which borders Bradford County on the east, had the most permits issued by the DEP. There were over 50 issued during the month of May. The permits were issued to either SWEPI LP or EQT Production Co.

Bradford County, where many consider the drilling frenzy to have started in Pennsylvania, had 39 permits issued during May. Most of them were issued to Chesapeake Appalachia LLC. Other companies drilling there included Chief Oil and Gas LLC., Southwestern Energy Production Co. or Talisman Energy USA Inc.

Susquehanna County had over 30 permits issued. They were issued to Chesapeake Appalachia LLC, Carrizo LLC., Cabot Oil and Gas Corp., Southwestern Energy Production Co. or WPX Energy Appalachia LLC.

Elk and Lycoming counties had over 20 permits issued in each county. The permits issued in Lycoming County were to Range Resources Appalachia LLC., Southwestern Energy Production Co., Pa. General Energy LLC., EXCO Resources Pa. LLC., XTO Energy Inc. or Atlas Resources, LLC. In Elk County, all of the permits were issued to EQT Production Co.

Other counties worth noting included: Washington, 13; Greene, 12; Sullivan 11; Allegheny, 8; Butler 7; Armstrong 4; and Beaver County had two issued in the Ohioville boro to Chesapeake Appalachia LLC.