Ohio’s Utica Shale oil production jumps 18.1 percent, natural gas production increases 25.6 percent

Source: Akron Beacon Journal

During the fourth quarter of 2014, Ohio’s horizontal shale wells produced more than 3.5 million barrels of oil and nearly 165 billion cubic feet of natural gas, according to figures the Ohio Department of Natural Resources released Wednesday.

Oil production from 779 horizontal Utica wells increased by more than 545,000 barrels, up 18.1 percent, and natural gas jumped by more than 33 billion cubic feet, or 25.6 percent, compared to the third quarter of 2014.

Comparing the past two years in Ohio, there has been a 200 percent increase in oil production and a 350 percent increase in gas production, the state said.

By comparison, 352 horizontal shale wells in the fourth quarter of 2013 produced 1,439,209 barrels of oil and 43 billion cubic feet of natural gas.

The new report lists 828 wells, 779 of which reported production. Forty-seven wells reported no production as they are waiting on pipeline infrastructure.

Of the 779 wells reporting production results, the average amount of oil produced was 4,568 barrels. The average amount of gas produced was 211 million cubic feet.

The average number of days in production was 80.

Of the top 10 natural gas wells in Ohio, five are located in Monroe County and five in Belmont County.

The No. 1 natural gas well in the quarter is the Schroyer Unit by Pennsylvania-based driller Eclipse Resources in Monroe County with nearly 1.9 billion cubic feet.

The top counties for oil production in the quarter were Guernsey, Harrison, Noble and Carroll.

The top oil well in the quarter was the Shugert well by American Energy Utica LLC in Guernsey County with 56,494 barrels.

The horizontal production reports can be accessed at http://oilandgas.ohiodnr.gov/production.