SALEM, Ohio — The drilling in the Utica shale area in eastern Ohio is not slowing down anytime soon, if the number of permits issued shows anything.

Well permit updates

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources released an updated list of Utica shale wells Feb. 21 that have been permitted or have updates to report. There were no changes issued to the list of Marcellus shale permits.

Carroll County

Carroll County appears to be leading the pack again. A permit was issued in East Township (Chesapeake Exploration LLC); Augusta Township (Chesapeake Exploration LLC); and one in Washington Township (Chesapeake Exploration LLC).

Meanwhile, in East Township, Chesapeake Exploration is waiting for fracking. Hydraulic fracturing is a process commonly used in oil development. It is a technique that cracks open rock layers to free natural gas.

Three wells in Lee Township are waiting for the fracking process to begin as well. One well in Lee Township is being drilled laterally and two are in the process of having the surface casing set.

The report issued by ODNR also states that two wells in Center Township have finished fracking and one in is awaiting fracking and one in East Township has finished fracking.

Another well in East Township is ready to start production.

Columbiana County

In Columbiana County, well permits have been issued for a site in Madison Township; three in Franklin; one in Middleton; one in Hanover; and one in Washington Township. All of the permits issued were to Chesapeake Exploration LLC.

ODNR also confirmed that the permit for Summitcrest Farms has been refiled by Chesapeake Exploration LLC. It was canceled in January by the company. However, the lawsuit filed by Summitcrest Farms against Chesapeake remains on the court docket.

Updates

The well in West Township is being drilled laterally at this point, and they are waiting to frack another well in West Township.

Jefferson County

In Jefferson County, Chesapeake Exploration is waiting to frack two wells in Ross Township.

According to the ODNR, two permits have been issued for Stock Township in Harrison County. Both are for Chesapeake Exploration LLC.

Knox County

A permit was issued to Chesapeake Exploration LLC. for Morgan Township in Knox County.

Mahoning County. In Mahoning County, a permit has been issued for a well in Goshen Township to Chesapeake Exploration LLC.

According to the ODNR, a well in Washington Township in Monroe County owned by HG Energy has been fracked.

Noble County. In Noble County in Brookfield Township, a well owned by Anadarko E&P Co. LP is waiting to be fracked. In Sharon Township, a well owned by Anadarko E&P Co. LP is having the surface casing set.

Portage County

In Portage County, two wells owned by Chesapeake Exploration LLC in Freedom and Suffield townships are waiting to be fracked.

Over the Stark County line, a well owned by Chesapeake Exploration LLC in Bethlehem Township is waiting for a drilling rig to begin the process.

Total. So far, the ODNR has issued 137 permits and 35 wells have been drilled.

For more coverage of the Marcellus or Utica shale, click here.