Monday, December 01, 2014YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- The Ohio Department of Natural Resources issued eight horizontal drilling permits during the week ended Nov. 22, all of them targeted for wells in the southern tier of the Utica shale.
Two Oklahoma City-based companies, American Energy Utica LLC and Chesapeake Exploration LLC, each were awarded four permits, ODNR said.
Chesapeake, the most prolific driller in the Utica, secured four permits in Harrison County at the R. Alan property in North Township.
American Energy, founded by former Chesapeake CEO Aubrey McClendon, was issued three permits for wells in Guernsey County in Londonderry Township on the Donna site, and a fourth permit for a well in Monroe County, Washington Township, on the Green property.
Since 2010, ODNR has issued 1,638 horizontal permits and exploration companies have successfully drilled 1,200 wells, of which 698 are producing.
No new permits were issued for Columbiana, Mahoning or Trumbull counties.
Permitting activity was also quiet in western Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection reported no new permits issued for either Lawrence or Mercer counties.
Copyright 2014 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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