Hilcorp Seeks New Utica Permits in Columbiana County

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Houston-based Hilcorp Energy Co. has applied for four new permits to enhance its exploration efforts in Columbiana County, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Hilcorp has applied for three permits to deepen existing wells and a single permit to drill a new horizontal well along Fairmount Road in Elk Run Township, records show.

According to the most recent data, energy companies have drilled 97 wells across the county that target the Utica/Point Pleasant shale formation.

Hilcorp’s wells in Elk Run Township are some of the most productive in the county, according to oil and gas production data that energy companies provide to ODNR.

During the first quarter of 2022, Hilcorp’s Elk Run Baker 7H well produced the most natural gas among wells drilled in Columbiana. Over a period of 90 days, the well yielded a total of 697.9 million cubic feet of gas, according to data.

Other nearby wells on the Elk Run Baker pad also proved strong gas and oil producers. The Baker 4H produced 578.5 million cubic feet, records show, while the Baker 2H yielded 500 million cubic feet of gas for the quarter.

The Baker 3H produced 466.9 million cubic feet of gas during the quarter. None of the wells produced significant amounts of oil.

Data show that Hilcorp has drilled 27 wells across Columbiana County targeting the Utica/Point Pleasant formation.

EAP Ohio, also based in Houston with local offices in Louisville, Ohio, has 58 active wells in the county.

Wells in Mahoning and Trumbull counties produced little oil and gas during the quarter, data show. The most productive gas well in Mahoning County was Hilcorp’s Poland CLL2 6H well with 56.9 million cubic feet produced over 90 days.

Pin Oak Energy Partners’ Kibler 2-3H well in Lordstown, Trumbull County, yielded the most gas in that county with 80.6 million cubic feet.

These results pale in comparison to the strong oil and gas wells found in the southeastern portion of the state, according to ODNR.

Gulfport Appalachia boasted the most productive gas well in Ohio during the first quarter – the Angleo well in Jefferson County, which produced more than four billion cubic feet of gas during the quarter.

Ascent Resources’ Betts 7H well in Guernsey County yielded the most oil during the three-month period, with 103,438 barrels produced.

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