Utica Shale

Chesapeake Energy Reports Two Utica Shale Completions

Chesapeake Energy (CHK) has an active development program in the Utica Shale and disclosed an update on recent operations here.  The company is currently operating eight rigs in the play, with six working in the wet gas window and one each in the dry gas and oil areas.

Chesapeake Energy’s long term plan in the Utica Shale is to ramp up to 20 rigs by the end of 2012. The company has drilled 42 wells to date and has seven wells on production, and 35 waiting on completion or pipeline.

Chesapeake Energy reported the production on two recent Utica Shale wells.  The Shaw 20-14-5H and Burgett #7-15-6 8H wells produced at peak average production rate of more than 700 barrels of oil and 3 million cubic feet per day of natural gas. Both wells are located in Carroll County, Ohio.

Hess Corporation - Utica Shale Comments - Q4 2011 Conference Call

Hess Corporation (HES) held an earnings conference call on January 25, 2012, in connection with the company’s fourth quarter of 2011 and full year earnings releases.  The company discussed its operations in the Utica Shale in 2011 and plans for 2012.

“Regarding the Utica Shale, our appraisal drilling program will be designed to delineate the oil-, liquids- and gas-rich areas on both our 100%-owned acreage and that owned by our 50-50 joint venture with CONSOL Energy.”

“On our 100%-owned acreage, we plan to acquire 200 square miles of seismic and drill approximately 7 wells. The joint venture will also acquire approximately 200 square miles of seismic and plans to drill 22 wells. We will also continue to pursue and delineate unconventional opportunities globally.”

“Regarding the Marquette well, we recently completed that well in December that was drilled by Marquette prior to the acquisition. The well was drilled in a dry gas location, we knew that. But it was ready to complete, so we went ahead and completed it. And while we're still testing the well, we can report that the initial rate from the well was 11 million cubic feet per day on a 24/64 choke. So that's a very good result. We're very pleased with that result. It's very encouraging, but, obviously, there's a lot more appraisal drilling necessary to delineate our acreage position and, in particular, figure out where the oil condensate and dry gas windows are.”

Source

Ohio Utica Shale Permit Update

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources issued an additional twenty four permits to drill into the Utica Shale and Point Pleasant formations.  This brings the total number of permits issued in the state to 78 horizontal and 59 stratigraphic (vertical) issued since December 2009. This data covers permits issued through December 7, 2011.

Chesapeake Energy (CHK) maintained the company’s status as a leader in the development of this new play and received nineteen permits:

Well Name	County	Township
Bucey 21-14-4 6H	Carroll	East
Bucey 21-14-4 5H	Carroll	East
Bailey 35-1254 1H	Carroll	Lee
Bailey 35-1254 3H	Carroll	Lee
Houyouse 15-13-5 6H	Carroll	Lee
Vahalik 18-11-1 6H	Jefferson	Springfield
Kate 4-10-4 8H	Tuscarawas	Wayne
Kate 4-10-4 8	Tuscarawas	Wayne
Ayrview Acres 27-16-5 5H	Columbiana	West
Ayrview Acres 27-16-5 1H	Columbiana	West
Ayrview Acres 27-16-5 3H	Columbiana	West
Ayrview Acres 27-16-5 3	Columbiana	West
Houyouse 15-13-5 1H	Carroll	Lee
Asuncion 15-11-3 6H	Jefferson	Ross
Asuncion 15-11-3 8H	Jefferson	Ross
Rowe 32-9-3 8	Jefferson	Wayne
Jarvis 4-17-4 6H	Mahoning	Goshen
Soehln 8H	Stark	Bethlehem
Soehln 8	Stark	Bethlehem

CNX Gas Company was issued a vertical and horizontal permit to drill the Hendricks MAHN2AHSU well into the Utica Shale.  This well is located in Ellsworth Township in Mahoning County. CNX Gas Company is a subsidiary of CONSOL Energy (CNX).

Anadarko Petroleum (APC) was issued two drilling horizontal permits to drill the FREC Guernsey Spencer A3H and Frec Guernsey Spencer A5H.  Both wells are located in Spencer Township in Guernsey County.

Gulfport Energy (GPOR) received the company’s first vertical permit and will drill the Wagner # 1 well in Athens Township in Harrison County