EOG Utica Oil Well Results Increase Interest in Mahoning County
The EOG Resources-owned Wehr Spring Valley Farm well in Ellsworth may signal a resurgence in the oil and gas industry in Mahoning County, Ohio. Producing 40,489 barrels of oil in its first quarter, the well significantly outperformed neighboring sites, validating predictions that the Utica play would yield oil as it moves north. Regional leaders and attorneys attribute this success to advanced drilling technologies, specifically improved surfactant chemistry and closer fracturing stages. This production spike in the Wehr well has revitalized local interest in mineral rights and spurred infrastructure investments, such as Vallourec’s $48 million pipe mill expansion, highlighting the region’s growing economic potential. Read More “EOG Utica Oil Well Results Increase Interest in Mahoning County”
A big announcement from the Trump Department of the Interior (DOI). Yesterday, the DOI announced an immediate pause on all large-scale offshore wind project leases currently under construction in the United States. There are five such projects along the East Coast, including one off the coast of New York State. The DOI said the decision stems from “national security risks” identified by the Department of War in classified reports, specifically concerning radar interference known as “clutter” caused by massive turbine blades. Trump previously negotiated a deal with NY Governor Kathy Hochul to allow two pipeline projects—the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) project and the Constitution Pipeline—in return for building the offshore Empire Wind 1 project (see 
Back in February, MDN told you that a company called PowerConneX had pre-applied to build a 120-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant at a 49-acre site in New Albany, Licking County (near Columbus) that will host a data center (see 
The Ohio Tax Commissioner is facing a lawsuit from Rover Pipeline over an aggressive property tax assessment that inflates the project’s market value. The dispute centers on the state treating $2.2 billion in weather-related construction overruns and an unrealistic “infinite lifespan” assumption as value-adding assets. Critics argue that this approach violates constitutional principles of fair market valuation, under which taxes should reflect what a willing buyer would pay rather than total development costs. 
On July 25, 2025, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) introduced the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act to streamline federal environmental reviews for energy and infrastructure projects, addressing delays blamed for hindering U.S. construction (see 
A big, fat, red flag has just been waved by researchers at Auburn University and Stanford University regarding the future of hydrogen as a nirvana energy source. 
We wish you a Merry Christmas…and a Happy New Year! MDN will take off (i.e., no new stories posted) between Dec. 24 and Jan. 2, the day after New Year’s Day, in observance of the holiday season. Don’t worry; we’ll keep an eye on the news, and if anything earth-shattering happens, we’ll post about it. However, we intend to take a break from writing for an entire week. We will see you again on Monday, January 5th.
OTHER U.S. REGIONS: New York unheated EV school bus horror; Spanberger to name energy czar to address power demand, cost; NATIONAL: U.S. natural gas settles lower in choppy trade; Dakota Access Pipeline – common sense energy vindicated; America’s energy economy – why natural gas and nuclear still matter; Climate faithful admit need for fossil fuels; The data center water crisis isn’t real; INTERNATIONAL: Crude settles higher as US tightens Venezuela blockade; The world’s population explosion demands new energy and electricity channels.