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22 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV May 4 – 10
The Marcellus/Utica region received 22 new drilling permits last week, May 4 – 10, up from the 19 permits issued two weeks ago. Pennsylvania issued 10 of last week’s permits. Ohio issued 8 new permits. West Virginia issued 4 new permits last week. The drillers who received new permits included: Ascent Resources, EOG Resources, EQT (including subsidiary Rice Drilling), Expand Energy, and Northeast Natural Energy. Read More “22 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV May 4 – 10”
Ascent Resources, formerly American Energy Partners, was founded by Aubrey McClendon and is a privately held company that focuses 100% on the Ohio Utica Shale. Ascent, headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK, is Ohio’s largest natural gas producer and one of the largest natural gas producers in the U.S. The company issued its first quarter 2026 update last week. First quarter net production averaged 2,132 MMcfe/d, consisting of 1,838 MMcf/d of natural gas, 11,500 bbls per day of oil, and 37,589 bbls per day of natural gas liquids (NGLs), putting liquids at 14% of the overall production mix for the quarter. 
The bidding war for Ascent Resources continues to bubble. Ascent, formerly American Energy Partners, is a privately held company focused 100% on the Ohio Utica Shale. Ascent, headquartered in Oklahoma City, is Ohio’s largest natural gas producer and the 8th largest natural gas producer in the U.S. The largest shareholder in the privately owned company is the private equity firm Energy & Minerals Group (EMG), with an “over 30% stake.” EMG wants to sell that stake in one of its portfolio companies to another EMG company. That action set off a firestorm with one major investor (the Abu Dhabi Investment Council) suing to block the transfer, and several other investors, including Mason Capital Management, making offers to buy the company lock, stock, and barrel. Mason issued a press release yesterday, “demanding” answers from Ascent, accusing the board of stonewalling. 