ODNR gives permits for Coitsville drilling to Chesapeake Energy

Staff report

COITSVILLE

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has permitted Chesapeake Energy Corp. to drill for oil and natural gas in Coitsville.

Notification of the permits was posted on ODNR’s website Monday.

The permits allow Chesapeake to drill both horizontally and vertically by fracking, a process in which water, chemicals and sand are blasted through pipes into rocks thousands of feet below the ground to unlock natural gas and oil.

Chesapeake and its subsidiary, Ohio Buckeye Energy, now have 10 permits in Mahoning County.

Goshen Township has six at three locations, and Milton Township has two at one location.

The Milton wells already have been drilled, according to the ODNR website, but are not expected to begin producing for a few more months.

Listed coordinates on ODNR’s website did not detail the well’s location.

In Columbiana County, a horizontal permit was issued in Hanover Township at a site that previously had a permit to drill vertically. That site is near Township Highway 756 just south of state Route 30.

Permits have been issued in the following Columbiana County townships: Hanover, Middleton, West, Franklin and Knox.