EIA releases new maps of Utica shale
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Three new maps of the Utica shale play have been published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The maps show thickness, structure and the geologic setting of the play, which includes both the Utica shale and the Point Pleasant formation. According to EIA, the Point Pleasant formation is more productive and therefore targeted more for oil and gas drilling.
However, The Vindicator reports that the maps don’t give much new information, according to Ohio Oil and Gas Association Executive Vice President Shawn Bennett. Bennett says the main difference in the new maps is that thickness numbers have been changed.
The Utica shale play is found in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York. As of a January 2016 count, 1,700 wells have been drilled in the Utica shale.
Read more: The Vindicator > EIA releases new Utica play maps
Related: Updated geologic maps of Marcellus Shale show more detail of shale formation – April 4, 2015
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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.