Hilcorp seeks permits to drill nine new wells in Columbiana County
Friday, February 10, 2023
Hilcorp Energy has requested nine new permits to drill oil and gas wells in the Utica/Point Pleasant shale formation in Columbiana County, according to The Business Journal.
The permit requests were filed Jan. 27. They are the first requests for new wells in this area of the Utica/Point Pleasant shale formation this year.
Hilcorp currently operates 38 wells in Columbiana County. Its most productive well during the third quarter of 2022 was its Tarka 6H in Fairfield Township — the same area where the company requested new permits.
Learn more: The Business Journal > Hilcorp Seeks New Well Permits in Columbiana County
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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.