SALEM, Ohio — Carroll, Columbiana and Harrison counties led the state for the number of Utica shale well permits issued in June.

Carroll and Columbiana counties both had eight permits issued by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, according to the department’s recent Utica shale activity report.

Carroll County

In Carroll County, permits were issued in Loudon, Union, Augusta, Lee, Washington townships, and two in Fox Township. The permits were issued to Chesapeake Exploration. A permit was also issued in Rose Township to Enervest Operating, LLC.

Columbiana County

In Columbiana County, seven of the eight permits issued were to Chesapeake Exploration as well. They were issued in Hanover, Unity, Salem, Hanover, Butler townships, and two in Elkrun Township. In addition, Swepi, LP., a subsidiary of the Shell Corporation, received its first permit in Ohio, according to the ODNR. The well will be located in Unity Township.

Harrison County

In Harrison County, seven permits were issued. This is the county where the highly touted Buell well is located. Permits were issued to Chesapeake Exploration in Rumley Township and two in Stock Township. According to the ODNR, two permits were issued in Moorefield Township to Gulfport Energy Corporation, and Hess Ohio Development received permits in Green and Athens townships.

Noble County

The number of permits issued in Noble County increased by five in June, according to the ODNR. Three permits were issued in Beaver Township to R.E. Gas Development, LLC. In adddition, a permit was issued in Buffalo Township to Antero Resources Appalachian Group and one was issued in Seneca Township to CNX Gas Co.. LLC.

Three permits issued

In Belmont and Guernsey counties, three permits were issued in each county. In Belmont County, two permits were issued in Warren and Kirkwood townships to Gulfport Energy Corporation. In Richland Township, a permit was issued to XTO Energy Inc.

Devon Energy Production Company was issued two permits in Guernsey County. One will be located in Center Township and the other in Knox Township. Enervest Operating LLC was also issued a permit in Wheeling Township in June.

One permit each

Chesapeake Exploration was also issued a permit in Brush Creek Township in Jefferson County and one in Green Township in Mahoning County.

Update. According to the ODNR website, a total of 273 Utica shale well permits have been issued. A total of 78 wells have been drilled and 16 are waiting to be fracked. In addition, there are 14 wells reported in the fracking process or have crews on site getting ready to frack.

Hydraulic fracturing is a process commonly used in oil development. It is a technique that cracks open rock layers to free natural gas.

A total of 10 wells are reported by the ODNR to be producing in Ohio.

Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, there were 91 permits issued during the month of June, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. There were 76 issued for new wells and 15 were issued to allow drillers to dig even deeper.

In Lycoming County, there were 23 permits issued, and of those, more than 19 permits were issued in Green Township. Meanwhile, there were 14 issued in Susquehanna and 12 in Washington County.