Drillers returning to Ohio’s Utica shale
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Gulfport Energy and Eclipse Resources Corp. are two drilling companies easing back into Utica shale drilling in Ohio as natural gas prices have risen. Both companies posted losses during the second quarter.
The Repository reports that Gulfport will drill 46 new Utica wells and begin production on 56 Utica wells by the end of 2016.
Eclipse Resources plans to produce 300 million cubic feet of Utica natural gas per day next year, according to The Business Journal. The company drilled new Utica wells during the second quarter.
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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.