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ODNR releases third quarter shale figures
ODNR: 285 horizontal shale wells in Ohio
YOUNGSTOWN
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources last week released the production results from horizontal shale wells for the third quarter of 2013.
The report listed 285 wells, with 245 reporting production results. Forty wells reported no production in the third quarter because operators are waiting on the supporting pipeline infrastructure.
The 245 producing wells yielded a total of 1.3 million barrels of oil and 33.6 million mcf (1,000 cubic feet) of natural gas.
On average, each well produced 5,439 barrels of oil and 137,168 mcf of natural gas over 55 days in production, according to ODNR figures.
Gulfport Energy’s “Stutzman” well in Belmont County had the highest natural-gas production totals, yielding 1.2 million mcf during 89 days of production.
Gulfport Energy also led the way in oil production from horizontal shale wells, with the “Boy Scout” well in Harrison County producing 41,617 barrels over 70 days.
The quarterly results were the product of a state law passed last summer that requires operators of horizontal oil and gas wells to submit production data quarterly, rather than annually.
ODNR said in a statement that the increased reporting provides “ODNR, the industry and the public with more-accurate and timely information regarding Ohio’s oil and gas industry.”
Production data for the first and second quarters of 2013 will be provided in the report for the full year 2013. In the future, ODNR will release all quarterly data online after it is compiled and verified for accuracy.
In addition to the product, supporters of the state’s shale industry have touted the number of jobs that have been created around fracking.
The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, which has strongly advocated for the industry, said that nearly 4,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Mahoning Valley and adjacent areas have resulted from a more than $5 billion investment in horizontal shale drilling.
“The people of the Valley have embraced the oil and gas industry because they have seen a significant turnaround in our economy — much of it from shale development and the growth of its supply chain,” Tom Humphries, president and CEO of the chamber, said in a statement Monday.
The chamber said 10 companies have announced supply-chain expansion or attraction projects. Additionally, projects are underway to establish new service operations for the industry and to build pipelines and processing plants.
“Most of the jobs being created in our area are permanent, good-paying jobs. We have seen our area become a strong manufacturing and industrial center again and that has caught the attention of business people and the news media around the U.S. and the world,” Humphries said.
All ODNR reports are available online at oilandgas.ohiodnr.gov/production.