New Shale Oil Well Just Drilled…in NY?!

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This story caught MDN’s eye because it involves drilling an oil and gas well, in New York State, in a shale layer, using horizontal drilling. But not fracking:

An Allegany County man has launched a horizontal drilling project for oil and gas.

It’s the first project of its kind in the county, according to the Wellsville Daily Reporter.

“We’re the first one for the county and if it works, it could be the first functioning one in the state for shale oil. It’s working now,” said John Zlomek, owner of Allegany Energy. “It’ll probably take a week after we’re done drilling to know how successful it is.”

The company has already drilled down 1,700 feet — and is now drilling horizontally about 4,100 feet.

Zlomek says he is not using hydraulic fracturing, the controversial practice commonly known as fracking.*

MDN wonders how long it will take for the anti-drillers to jump all over this one? You see, they don’t hate fracking per se—they hate what it produces: fossil fuels. If oil and gas can be mined without fracking, they’ll find other non-fracking excuses to try and stop it. Just wait and see.

*Buffalo (NY) BusinessFirst (Jul 6, 2012) – Horizontal oil/gas wells being drilled in Allegany County

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