Ascent, Eclipse receive Utica Shale permits
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources issued five permits to drill in Ohio’s Utica Shale to Ascent Resources Utica LLC and three permits to Eclipse Resources during the week ended April 6, according to The Youngstown Business Journal.
Ascent secured permits for horizontal wells in Belmont County. Eclipse received permits to drill new wells in Monroe County.
As of April 6, ODNR reported there are 3,046 horizontal well permits issued in the Utica shale. Of that number, 2,568 are drilled and 2,179 wells are in production.
The rig count – the number of rigs operating across the Utica during a single day – stood at 16.
Learn more: The Youngstown Business Journal > Eight new permits issued in Utica Shale
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.