Pa. maintains slim lead in rig counts over Ohio
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Over the course of the Marcellus and Utica Shale booms, Pennsylvania has always maintained a lead in rigs counts over Ohio, according to the Pittsburgh Business Times. However, that traditional lead has gotten narrower in recent months as more takeaway capacity comes online in Ohio.
In the first two weeks of October, Pennsylvania added one working natural gas rig, bringing its tally to a total of 32 and maintaining its slim lead over Ohio among natural gas producers in the Appalachian Basin. Ohio has been steady at 29 rigs since August, according to data from Baker Hughes.
Meanwhile, West Virginia has lost a rig since the beginning of October, reducing it to 15.
Learn more: Pittsburgh Business Times > Pa. retains slim lead in rig counts over Ohio
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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.