SALEM, Ohio — Drillers appear to be running toward Monroe County, Ohio, to drill what they see as promising Utica shale wells.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources reported 25 new permits were issued for drilling in Monroe County during June.

Twelve permits were issued in Sunsbury Township to Gulfport Energy. In Adams Township, four permits were issued for the same well pad to Gulfport Energy.

In Seneca Township, four permits were issued to Antero Resources Corporation for a well site in Seneca Township.

Three permits were issued in Center Township to Gulfport Energy and two in Washington Township to HG Energy LLC.
In Monroe County, the ODNR reports there are now 47 wells drilled and 17 producing wells.

Belmont County

Another spot heating up is Belmont County. The ODNR issued 22 new permits in June.

Six permits were issued in Wayne Township to Gulfport Energy Corporation. In Washington Township, five permits were issued to the Gulfport Energy Corporation.

In addition, XTO Energy received four permits in York Township, four in Washington Township, and two permits in Richland Township.

One permit was issued in Somerset Township to the Gulfport Energy Corporation.
In addition, one permit was issued for a new Marcellus shale well in Richland Township to XTO Energy.

In Belmont County, the ODNR reports 31 drilled wells and 23 producing wells.

Noble County

Another place residents can expect to see a lot of drilling rigs in the next few months is Noble County. The ODNR issued 20 new permits there in June.

The ODNR issued 13 permits to Antero Resources for sites to be drilled in Beaver Township. In addition, four permits were issued in Seneca Township to Antero Resources Corporation and three permits were issued in Stock Township to the CNX Gas Co.

There are now 50 drilled wells and 34 producing wells in Noble County.

Guernsey County

The ODNR issued 18 permits for new wells to be drilled in Guernsey County.
Carizo Utica received six permits in Richland Township and PDC Energy received four permits for sites in Wills Township.

Three permits were issued in Londonderry Township to American Energy Utica, and three were also issued in Oxford Township to Eclipse Resources I.

Single well permits were issued in Washington and Londonderry townships to Carizo Utica.

There are 32 producing wells and 26 in some sort of drilling phase in Guernsey County.

Harrison County

The hot bed of drilling extends into Harrison County as well, where the ODNR issued 17 drilling permits in June.
Chesapeake Exploration received eight permits for a well site in Stock Township. The ODNR also issued two permits to Eclipse Resources I for a well site in Stock Township.

The ODNR also issued three permits in Cadiz Township to Hess Ohio Development.
In Moorefield and German townships, two permits were issued in each township. In Moorefield Township, Gulfport Energy received two permits and Chesapeake Exploration received two permits in German Township.

There are now 95 drilled wells and 60 producing wells in Harrison County, according to the ODNR.

Carroll County

The ODNR issued 12 permits to drillers in Carroll County.

Chesapeake Exploration appears to continue to be a big driller in Carroll County, receiving five permits in Lee Township, three permits in Union Township, two permits in Fox Township, and single permits were issued in Augusta and East townships.

Single permits

The ODNR issued single permits in five counties during June.

In Geauga County, a permit was issued in Parkman Township to Chesapeake Exploration, and in Jefferson County, Chesapeake Exploration received a single permit for a well in Salem Township.

And while BP may have decided to abandon future drilling plans in Trumbull County, the Halcon Operating Company has been issued a permit to drill a new Utica shale well in Warren Township there.

Enervest Operating received a second permit for drilling in Clay Township in Tuscarawas County, and in Washington County, a single permit was issued in Salem Township to EM Energy Ohio.

In total, the ODNR has issued 1,386 horizontal drilling permits for the Utica shale in Ohio since 2010 and 926 wells have been drilled.

In the Marcellus shale, the ODNR has issued 44 permits and 27 wells have been drilled.

Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued 245 unconventional well permits during June and reported that 127 shale wells were drilled.

The top three counties with the most permits issued were Bradford County, Greene County and Susquehanna County.

The DEP issued 48 permits in Bradford County; 31 in Greene County and 32 in Susquehanna County.

The DEP drilling report shows that 27 shale wells were drilled in Greene County in June and 21 were drilled in Susquehanna County.
In Washington County, the DEP issued 19 permits for wells to be drilled. The DEP drilling report shows that 11 wells were drilled.

The DEP issued 12 new permits in Butler County during June. In addition, the DEP report shows that 13 wells were drilled during the month.

The DEP issued eight permits for shale wells to be drilled in Mercer County, and not too far over the Pennsylvania/Ohio line, the DEP reported there were six well permits issued in Lawrence County. The DEP also reported that nine wells were drilled in the county.

The monthly DEP report shows that five permits for new wells were issued in Beaver County. Meanwhile, oil and gas companies drilled four new wells during June.

West Virginia

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection issued several permits for shale wells to be drilled in West Virginia during June.

In Wetzel County, the DEP issued three well permits. Two of the permits were for two wells on one pad, which is to be drilled by HG Energy. And the third well is to be drilled by the Stone Energy Corporation.

In Tyler County, the DEP issued four well permits for what appears to be the same well pad. Noble Energy was granted the permit for those wells.

In Marion County, the DEP issued four permits to EQT Production Company and two to Trans Energy. The four permits issued are for the same well pad and all will be drilled by EQT. The remaining two permits are also for the same well pad.