Wednesday, February 16, 2011
By LINDA M. LINONIS
liberty
Jeff C. Dick, chairman of Youngstown State University’s Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, offered an overview of gas and oil drilling in Ohio in a presentation Tuesday night at the township administration building.
For some, it was the introduction to an issue that is getting more attention as wells are drilled. For others, their thoughtful and insightful questions revealed a depth of understanding and concern about drilling.
Nearly 100 people listened to Dick’s talk about what makes Ohio so attractive to drilling companies. Marcellus and Utica shale formations are found in the state; Marcellus usually produces natural gas, and Utica, oil. Dick said it is projected that 1.9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas can be extracted from Marcellus shale formations.
The eastern part of Ohio generally has what is called the Clinton formation, which is conducive to natural gas wells; the western section with the Lima Trenton field is known for oil wells.
“Oil and gas production began in the 1860s in Ohio in Maxburg in Washington County,” said Dick. Since then, Ohio has produced 1.26 billion barrels of oil and 8.3 trillion cubic feet of gas. That puts the Buckeye State as the fourth top producer of oil and gas, behind Texas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.
The speaker noted some 274,733 wells have been drilled in the state, with some 64,207 oil and gas in production. In Liberty Township, Dick said, three wells have been drilled and in Trumbull County, about 23 drilled with 18 completed. Five were “duds.”
He said the Ohio Department of Natural Resources web site, www.dnr.state.oh.us, offers an interactive map that shows locations of oil and gas wells.
Dick also said Berea sandstone, which he described as “a most elegant building stone,” was mined west of Cleveland. It is an oil and gas producing formation.
He told the audience they might be surprised to learn that Columbiana County has a large natural gas storage field in Fairfield and Elkrun townships. “Look for orange wells, not storage tanks,” he said.
Dick told his audience that gas and oil wells fall under state regulations; there are no local zoning laws.
He mentioned that the technology of hydraulic fracturing dates to 1947. It uses a combination of water, sand and other additives at high pressure to force underground fractures, which allow natural gas to be released. Vertical and horizontal drilling techniques are used.
Questions from the audience reflected an overall concern about how gas drilling could have a negative effect on well water, the potential pollution of ground water by wastewater from wells and explosions.
Jodi Stoyak, township trustee who arranged the presentation, said she will work on another program, possibly with the EPA or ODNR.