ODNR issues permits for 3 wells in Columbiana Co.

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has granted permits for three new Utica Shale wells to Chesapeake Exploration LLC, a subsidiary of Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy Corp.

All three permits are for wells in Columbiana County: two in Franklin Township and one in Madison Township.

The Franklin Township wells, named Albaneso, are, like a well permitted last week, along Foundry Hill Road, just north of Yellow Creek Road.

The Madison Township well, named Rosebud, is southwest of the state Route 45, state Route 518 and U.S. Route 30 interchange.

ODNR also reported that two wells in Columbiana County — one in Knox Township and one in West Township — are ready to be fracked.

Fracking is the process in which water, chemicals and sand are blasted into rocks thousands of feet below the ground to unlock natural gas and oil.

Another in West Township is in the drilling process.

There are 17 permitted horizontal wells in Columbiana County: four in Franklin Township; three each in West, Middleton and Hanover townships; two in Washington and one each in Knox and Madison townships.

There are eight permitted horizontal wells in Mahoning County: six in Goshen Township and one each in Milton and Ellsworth townships.