Hopes of waterless fracking as an alternative to the shale industry’s drilling technique are fading as a test well in Ohio’s Tuscarawas County has had subpar performance. Columbus Business First reports that the Nettles test well was drilled by EV Energy Partners and eight other companies, including Chesapeake Energy.

The Nettles test well cost $22 million to drill. In its 90 days of production, it produced half the oil that a nearby well fracked with water. Waterless fracking is being explored because some oil and gas companies think that using water to frack causes damage to shale plays, thus impacting production.

Chesapeake intends to continue testing waterless fracking, and EV Energy Partners will continue to test the Tuscarawas County well.

Via: Columbus Business First > Ohio waterless fracking well’s output lagging

More about the waterless fracking test well:

• Waterless fracking company poised to sell assets March 10, 2015
• Waterless fracking tested at Utica Shale well Nov. 21, 2014