Six Permits Issued for Ohio Utica Wells

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources issued six new permits for horizontal wells in Ohio’s Utica shale during the week ended Aug. 18, according to the latest data provided by the agency.

Ascent Resources LLC, based in Oklahoma City, secured four permits for new wells in Harrison County, while EM Energy Ohio, based in Rockville, Md., received two permits to drill new wells in Monroe County, according to ODNR.

The number of rigs operating in the Utica – which generally encompasses the eastern portion of Ohio – stood at 19 for the week, ODNR said.

As of Aug. 18, ODNR has issued 2,865 permits for the Utica. Since 2010, energy companies have drilled 2,392 horizontal wells, of which 1,957 are producing.

Much of the exploration and production has been concentrated in the southern tier of the oil and gas play and not in the northern portion, which encompasses Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties. There were no permits issued for the northern tier last week.

Nor were there new permits issued in the neighboring Utica region of Lawrence and Mercer counties in western Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.