YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Hilcorp Energy Co. secured three new permits for horizontal wells this month in neighboring Mercer County, Pa., according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

The Houston-based energy company is the most active driller in the northern tier of the Utica shale, which includes Lawrence and Mercer counties in Pennsylvania and Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties in Ohio.

According to the latest report from the DEP, Hilcorp secured two permits in Jefferson Township at the Zigo farm on Dec. 16, and a single permit for a horizontal well on the Weiser farm in Shenango Township on Dec. 15.

Another permit in Mercer County was issued Dec. 15 to SWEPI, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, for a horizontal well in Lake Township at the Shannon farm.

No new permits were issued for wells in Lawrence County, records show.

In Ohio, few permits were granted last week as the Ohio Department of Natural Resources issued just five horizontal permits for rights to drill in the southern portion of the Utica shale.

ODNR awarded three permits to Carrizo Utica LLC for wells in Guernsey County; Antero Resources received a single permit for a new well in Monroe County, while Eclipse Resources was awarded one permit for a well in Guernsey County.

As of the week ended Dec. 27, ODNR reported it had issued 1,735 permits to energy exploration companies for wells in Ohio's portion of the Utica. Of those, 1,277 are drilled with 707 in production.

Copyright 2014 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
CLICK HERE to subscribe to our twice-monthly print edition and to our free daily email headlines.