Wednesday, December 10, 2014COLUMBUS, Ohio -- American Energy Utica LLC, the company founded by former Chesapeake Energy Corp. CEO Aubrey McClendon, secured 12 new permits for horizontal wells in the Utica shale last week as energy companies showed no let up in their focus on developing the southern portion of that oil and gas play.
American Energy was awarded seven new well permits in Guernsey County and five new permits in Harrison County, according to the latest well permits released by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Third quarter results provided by ODNR last week show American Energy has drilled two productive natural gas wells in Belmont County at its Porterfield Gas Unit pad in Richland Township. The company's A and C wells each produced more 948.9 million cubic feet of natural gas during the quarter, records show.
New permits were also issued to Rice Drilling LLC, Gulfport Energy Corp. and Triad Hunter LLC, all for wells in the southern counties of eastern Ohio.
ODNR issued four permits to Rice for wells in Belmont County, three to Gulfport for wells in Harrison County, and two to Triad Hunter for new horizontal wells in Noble County.
To date, ODNR has issued 1,685 new permits or horizontal wells in eastern Ohio's Utica shale play. Energy companies have drilled 1,238 wells, of which 700 are now producing.
No new permits were issued for wells in Mahoning, Trumbull or Columbiana counties for the week ended Dec. 6, ODNR said.
And no new Utica permits were issued for Lawrence and Mercer counties in western Pennsylvania.
According to ODNR third quarter production results, Utica natural gas production was up 49% compared to the second quarter of 2014.
RELATED:
Hilcorp Steps on the Gas at Its Poland Township Wells
Third Quarter Utica Well Production Is Up 49%
Copyright 2014 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
CLICK HERE to subscribe to our twice-monthly print edition and to our free daily email headlines.