Utica Well Capped due to ‘Disappointing’ Output
Monday, January 21, 2013
According to Mount Vernon News, Devon Energy has ‘abandoned’ a shale well outside of Utica, Ohio. The well site has been capped and restored to its former condition, if not better.
Read it:
“He [Tim Hartley, senior communications specialist with Devon] said the reports from Devon’s wells in the western sections of the Utica Shale —including the Kirkpatrick Road site and a drill site in Ashland County — were “disappointing.” Producing natural gas and natural gas liquids, the sites failed to produce crude oil which is more profitable in today’s economy.”
Much of the well’s closing has to do with the very low price of natural gas, according to Hartley.
This story coincides with a recent story about how the Utica shale may not be as widespread as previously thought.
» Via: Mount Vernon News › Output ‘dissapointing‘ from Utica well
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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.