ODNR Issues 16 Permits, Utica Rig Count Falls

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources issued 16 new permits last week for horizontal wells in the Utica shale in eastern Ohio, according to the latest data released from the agency.

All of the well sites are in the southern tier of the Utica, six of which are drilled. Drilling has begun on nine others.

Antero Resources of Denver received nine permits – three for wells in Noble County and six for wells in Monroe County.

CNX Gas Company LLC received five permits for wells in Noble County while XTO Energy received a single permit for a horizontal well in Belmont County.

No new permits were issued for Mahoning, Trumbull or Columbiana counties.

The rig count in the Utica declined to 37 from 39 in Ohio, ODNR reported. To date, the agency has issued 1,824 permits in the Utica, of which 1,370 are drilled and 816 are producing.

Hilcorp Energy Co. received one permit to drill in Mercer County in the western Pennsylvania section of the Utica, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The DEP reports that Hilcorp received the permit Feb. 17 to drill a horizontal gas well on the Weiser farm in Shenango Township.

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