Drillers plan to test out the Utica Shale this year
Friday, May 8, 2015
The Utica Shale is most commonly associated with Ohio, but drillers have recently noticed the formation’s performance in neighboring Pennsylvania.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that number of exploratory wells in Pennsylvania’s Utica Shale have produced high initial flow rates, rivaling some of southeastern Ohio’s best Utica wells. Range Resources ‘monster well’ in Washington County initially produced 59 Mmcf/d in December. To put that figure in perspective, the median initial flow rate for Marcellus Shale wells in Pennsylvania was 5 Mmcf/d in 2013.
The Utica Shale runs up to a mile deeper than the Marcellus Shale, making it more expensive to drill. According to Wunderlich Securities, the Utica and Point Pleasant Shale could be the next big plays for dry gas.
Via: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette > The ‘monster’ beneath the Marcellus
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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.