If you’re a driller in Ohio with leased Utica Shale land, but there’s a holdout or two in some of your leaseholds, you can make an application with the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources’ (ODNR) Division of Oil & Gas for something called “unitization.” MDN calls it “forced pooling,” a term more commonly used. It means (in Ohio) that if you own leases for 65% of the land in a given unit (typically 640 acres) and want to drill on and under that land, you can file an application to request a unitization hearing. We’ve embedded the guidelines you need to follow in your application below.
But be forewarned: There’s a lot of hoops to jump through. The application you file must be complete, including things like a gamma ray-density log, lots of aerial photographs and maps, complete information on all mineral rights owners, and a check for $10,000. Don’t forget the check. And you’d better be sure your ducks are all in a row, because the check is non-refundable…
