Carroll County, OH Landowners Offered $3200 Per Acre for Shale Gas Leases

A Rotary meeting in East Liverpool, Ohio discussed shale gas drilling in Columbiana and Carroll Counties for both the Marcellus and Utica shales. Among the things learned at the meeting:

Carroll County Commissioner Doyle Hawk said there are currently five drill sites in Carroll County. He said the next big development that will receive publicity is drilling for both gas and oil, since there can be both in drill sites.

None of the five sites have been fractured yet, meaning the company has drilled down to the shale but not broken through it to release the gas, he said.

Hawk said three years ago some people signed leases for $10 an acre. He said as of Monday, some gas production companies were offering Carroll County residents "$3,200 per acre without blinking an eye."*

Rotarian Bill Blair, Jr., former gas production company owner, said:

Most of the interest in drilling for gas in Ohio is in Utica shale, which is deeper below the surface than Marcellus shale.*

*The Review (May 25, 2011) – EL Rotary discusses drilling