SALEM, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources issued 32 new permits in January, with Columbiana County receiving nearly half the total.
Columbiana County
Columbiana County’s 12 new permits marked the most issued in the state in the first month of 2015.
All 12 new permits were issued in Fairfield Township to Hilcorp Energy Company.
There were also 49 producing wells and 17 wells in some phase of drilling across the county.
Carroll County
Carroll County remained at the top of the state’s total permit list with 460.
In addition, Carroll County sites in Washington Township received three new permits in January, all issued to Chesapeake Exploration.
Carroll County also continued to lead the state in producing wells, with 314, and was among the top four counties with its 82 wells in some phase of the drilling process, according to the ODNR.
Harrison County
Following a month with 22 new permits in December, the pace in Harrison County slowed, with only three permits issued in January, all to Chesapeake Exploration in North Township.
Harrison County did have the most wells currently in some phase of the drilling process, with 140. Much of the drilling activity in January took place in North, Archer, Moorfield and Nottingham townships.
Harrison County also had the second highest number of producing wells in the state, behind Carroll County, with 116.
Guernsey County
There were two new permits issued in Guernsey County in January, both in Londonderry Township to American Energy Utica. This follows a December that saw 17 new permits issued in Guernsey County.
However, the county did lead the state in wells drilled or drilling in January, with 89. The majority of the drilling activity last month took place in Londonderry, Millwood, Oxford and Richland townships.
Monroe County
Monroe County was also among the most drilled or drilling wells in January, with 83. Most of the drilling activity took place in Washington, Sunsbury and Seneca townships.
Monroe County also had 33 producing wells and six new permits, issued in Sunsbury and Seneca townships to Gulfport Energy and Antero Resources, respectively.
Marcellus shale
The ODNR has issued 44 permits for horizontal drilling in the Marcellus shale. There are 29 drilled Marcellus shale wells in Ohio. No permits were issued in January.
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued 184 gas well permits thus far in 2015. In addition, the Pa. DEP reported 112 wells drilled to date this year.
Bradford County
Bradford County led the state for the most gas well permits issued in January with 30 — nine fewer than last month. Washington County followed closely, with 29 permits issued in January.
Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County saw a significant spike in gas permits in January, with 12 being issued. Only four permits issued in Westmoreland County in December.
Allegheny County
Likewise, Allegheny County drillers received six permits in January, up from only one in December.
Butler County. Elsewhere in the Farm and Dairy readership, permitting was relatively light. In Butler County, there were six permits issued in January, down from nine issued in December.
Mercer County
There were two gas permits issued in Mercer County in January, equalling the number issued in the previous month.
Lawrence County. One gas permit was issued Lawrence County in January, following a month with no new permits issued.
Beaver County
There was also one permit issued in Beaver County in January.
West Virginia
All permits issued in the Farm and Dairy readership area in January were issued in the Marcellus shale.
Marshall County
The most new permits were issued in Marshall County, with 12. All 12 were issued to Noble Energy on properties owned by Steve and Ed Ward and Consol Mining Company/Consol Energy.
Tyler County
Tyler County followed with 11 gas permits issued in January, to Noble Energy and Statoil USA Onshore Properties. The properties are owned by Roger D. Blizzard and Ruth E. Spencer and Allen W. Seckman.
Wetzel County
There were five permits issued in Wetzel County — four to American Energy Marcellus on property owned by Dale K. Delany, and one to EQT Production on property owned by Consolidated Coal Company.
Monongalia County
One permit was issued in Monongalia County, to Northeast Natural Energy, on property owned by Enroute Properties.
