Oil, Gas Production Across Shale Plays Expected to Rise in February

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Oil and natural gas production across the Utica and Marcellus shale plays is expected to increase in February, according to a new report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

According to the EIA’s monthly drilling report, oil output is anticipated to increase by 3,000 barrels per day next month in the Utica and Marcellus shale, collectively known as the Appalachian basin.

Most of the Utica is found in eastern Ohio, while the Marcellus stretches from western to central Pennsylvania and into West Virginia.

In January, oil producers yielded an average of 136,000 barrels per day across the Utica and Marcellus, according to EIA data. It’s projected that producers will increase output to 139,000 barrels per day in February.

Natural gas production in Appalachia is projected to rise by 93 million cubic feet in February, EIA said.  This month, natural gas wells in Ohio, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia collectively produce an average 35.279 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. This is expected to increase to 35.372 billion next month, according to EIA.

There have been no new drilling permits filed yet this year in the northern tier of the Utica, which encompasses Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.

Total oil production across all seven of the U.S. shale plays is projected to increase from 9.299 million barrels of oil per day in January to 9.375 million barrels per day next month, a boost of 76,000 barrels per day, EIA reported.

Natural gas output is expected to climb by 466 million cubic feet per day across U.S. shale plays, according to EIA. In January, natural gas shale producers across the county yielded 96.190 billion cubic feet of gas per day. That number is projected to reach 96.656 billion cubic feet per day in February.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.