20 shale drilling permits issued in Ohio, Pa., W. Va. during week ended March 20
Friday, March 25, 2022
Twenty new shale oil and natural gas drilling permits were issued in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia during the week ended March 20, according to Marcellus Drilling News.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued 11 new permits from March 14 to 20. Coterra Energy received nine of them, distributed over two well pads in Susquehanna County.
Ohio issued seven new permits during the same time period. Gulfport Energy received four of them for a single well pad.
West Virginia issued two new permits — one to Antero Resources and one to Tug Hill Operating.
Learn more: Marcellus Drilling News > 20 New Shale Well Permits Issued of PA-OH-WV Mar 14-20
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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.