SALEM, Ohio —  The Ohio Department of Natural Resources issued 15 new permits for shale play wells in Belmont County last month, the most granted in any Ohio county.

Eight permits were issued to Gulfport Energy Corporation for wells to be drilled in Wayne, Union Mead and Somerset townships.

Seven permits were issued to XTO Energy Inc. for well development in York Township.

Guernsey County

Drilling is also ramping up in Guernsey County. The ODNR issued 14 new permits during April.

The ODNR issued seven permits to Eclipse Resources for well sites in Millwood Township and six permits for sites in Oxford Township.

A single permit was issued in Wills Township to American Energy Utica.

Monroe County

Seven new permits were issued for drilling in Monroe County during April.

The CNX Gas Company received its first drilling permits for Monroe County, getting the OK for three sites in Switzerland Township.

Four of the permits were issued to Triad Hunter for a well site in Lee Township. Two of the wells are currently being drilled.
In addition, a single permit to Statoil USA Onshore Properties was issued for drilling in Ohio Township.

Noble County

Antero Resources Corporation will continue their drilling expedition in Noble County. The ODNR issued five permits to Antero Resources for sites in Beaver Township. Drilling is underway in one of the wells there.

A single permit was issued in Seneca Township to the CNX Gas Company.

Carroll County

In Carroll County, six new permits were issued by the ODNR.
Chesapeake Exploration received all six permits for well sites in Lee Township.

Harrison County

The ODNR issued four permits for drilling in Harrison County. Three permits were issued to Chesapeake Exploration for sites in North Township. Chesapeake also received a single permit for a well site in German Township. It is currently being drilled.

Tuscarawas County

The ODNR issued two new permits for drilling in Clay Township. They were issued to the Enervest Operating.

Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, 203 drilling permits were issued in April, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Bradford County led the pack, with companies receiving 70 permits for drilling there. It is the county where the shale boom began over five years ago.

Closer to the Farm and Dairy reading area, 26 permits were issued in Washington County. Nine were issued in Lawrence County, and eight were issued in Greene County. Three were issued in Allegheny County and one permit was issued in Butler County.

There were 20 wells drilled during April in Washington County. There were also 11 wells drilled in Butler County; 10 in Bradford County and nine in Greene County. There were four drilled in Beaver, three in Allegheny and two in Lawrence County.

The DEP reported that there were 82 unconventional or shale wells drilled during April.

West Virginia

The West Virginia DEP reported two permits were issued in Marshall County in the Marcellus shale. The permits were issued to Gastar Exploration, on property owned by PPG Industries.

Wetzel County

In Wetzel County, the DEP issued nine permits for drilling in the Marcellus shale.

Two permits were issued to Trans Energy, for drilling on land owned by the state of West Virginia. Four permits were issued to Triad Hunter, for land owned by the West Virginia Conservation Commission.

Two permits were issued for drilling in the Marcellus to the Stone Energy Corporation for land owned by Richard Erlewine.

A single permit was issued to the EQT Production Company for a well to be drilled on land owned by Coastal Forest Resources Company.

Tyler County

The DEP issued three permits for drilling into the Marcellus shale in Tyler County. The permits were issued to Statoil USA Onshore Properties for land owned by Robert D. and Sherry Ball.
Monongalia County

Five new permits were issued for drilling into the Marcellus shale in Monongalia County.

The permits were issued to Northeast Natural Energy, on three different properties. The properties are owned by Yost Heritage Inc., Coastal Forest Resources Company and Ellen F. Campbell.

Drilling is also progressing in Preston County, West Virginia. The DEP reported seven permits were issued for the area. The permits were issued to Mountaineer Keystone, LLC. for two different property owners, James E. Gragg and the Hamilton family.