SALEM, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources issued 43 new permits in February, up from 32 new permits in January.
The largest increase in new permitting activity took place in Monroe County.
Monroe County
Monroe County experienced an 11-permit hike, from six in January to a state-leading 17 new permits in February.
The majority of the new permits were issued to Antero Resources Corporation on properties in Seneca and Franklin townships. Six of the new permits were issued on properties in Switzerland Township, five to CNX Gas Company and one to XTO Energy.
Noble County
New permitting in Noble County centered in Marion Township, where all nine of the county’s new permits were issued. As in Monroe County to the east, the new permits in Noble County were issued to CNX and Antero and all had commenced drilling activity.
Columbiana County
After ranking highest in the state in new permits in January with 12, only two new permits were issued in Columbiana County in February.
Both new permits were issued in Fairfield Township to Hilcorp Energy Company.
Producing wells in the county, however, increased from 49 to 52 in February.
Carroll County
Carroll County continues to lead the state overall, with 466 total permits and 328 producing wells. In February, Carroll County sites in Lee and Washington townships received five new permits, all issued to Chesapeake Exploration.
Harrison County
Following recent high of 22 new permits in December, the pace in Harrison County slowed in January, when only three new permits were issued. The county experienced a slight increase in new permitting in February, with five issued in North Township to Chesapeake Exploration.
Harrison County had the most wells in the state in some phase of the drilling process last month, with 121, and had the second highest number of producing wells in the Ohio behind Carroll County, with 141.
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 February.
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued 184 gas well permits thus far in 2015. In addition, the Pa. DEP reported 72 wells drilled in February, 13 of which are located in Venango County.
Washington County again led the state in February, with 43 permits granted. Greene County followed closely behind Washington, with 33 permits issued in February.
Butler County
Elsewhere in the Farm and Dairy readership, permitting in Pennsylvania remained relatively light, as was the case in January. Sites in Butler County, however, received 14 permits, up from six issued in January.
Bradford County
After leading the state with its 30 gas well permits issued in January, Bradford County remained among the four leading Pennsylvania counties with its 19 permits issued in February. Only Washington, Greene, and Susquehanna County — with 23 — had a more active permitting month.
West Virginia
All permits issued in the Farm and Dairy readership area in February were issued in the Marcellus shale.
Wetzel County
The most new permits in February, 14, were issued in Wetzel County — up from only five permits issued in January.
The February permits were issued to American Energy Marcellus and EQT Products on properties owned by Consolidated Coal Company, JD Boothe Estate and Dallison Lumber.
Marshall County
Chevron Appalachia and SWN Production Company received 10 permits in February for Marshall County sites, on properties owned by Williams Ohio Valley Midstream, and Robert and Linda Bonnette.
Tyler County
Elsewhere, Tyler County followed an 11-permit month in January with only two issued in February, both to Statoil USA Onshore on property owned by Roger D. and Ruth E. Spencer.
Ohio County
A single gas permit was issued in Ohio County, to SWN Production on property owned by Glen Didriksen.
