37 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Apr 6 – 12
Last week was a good week for new drilling permits. The Marcellus/Utica region received 37 new drilling permits last week, Apr. 6 – 12, up 15 from the 22 issued two weeks ago. Pennsylvania issued 23 of the permits. Ohio issued 8 new permits. And West Virginia issued 6 new permits last week. The drillers who received new permits last week included: Antero Resources, Ascent Resources, Blackhill Energy, Clean Energy Exploration, EOG Resources, EQT, JKLM Energy, Laurel Mountain Energy, PennEnergy Resources, Repsol, and Snyder Brothers. Read More “37 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Apr 6 – 12”

The highly functional and responsible Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), unlike its highly dysfunctional and irresponsible counterpart, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), continues to support the shale energy industry by approving water withdrawals and consumptive use requests for responsible and safe shale drilling. The SRBC published a notice in the February 7 Pennsylvania Bulletin that the Executive Director of the SRBC approved and/or renewed 42 general water use permits in December and 32 general permits in January (74 combined) for individual shale gas well drilling pads in Bradford, Clearfield, Clinton, Lycoming, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, and Wyoming counties.
The highly functional and responsible Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), unlike its highly dysfunctional and irresponsible counterpart, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), continues to support the shale energy industry by approving water withdrawals and consumptive use requests for responsible and safe shale drilling. The SRBC published a notice in the October 11 Pennsylvania Bulletin that the commission voted to approve 11 water withdrawal requests related to shale gas development and two for gas-fired power plants. 
On September 8, Blackhill Energy informed the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) of an “inadvertent return” that occurred during horizontal drilling for the Brad-Tenn Loop Pipeline in Granville Township, Bradford County. Blackhill reported that while drilling beneath Route 6 and Sugar Creek, they experienced a pressure issue. The company discovered that 18,000 gallons (approximately 430 barrels) of nontoxic bentonite drilling mud had been lost. The company stopped drilling ops at that point and reported it to the DEP.
At the recent 2025 DUG Appalachia Conference & Expo held in Pittsburgh in August, Hart Energy honored the biggest, best, and most efficient private (not publicly traded) E&Ps in the Appalachian Basin’s Marcellus and Utica shales. Hart Energy’s editorial leadership chose honorees from among companies operating in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. Editors evaluated operator metrics, looking for cost efficiency, production, inventory preservation, and other factors. Who is the best of the best among privately owned drillers?
For the week of Feb 17 – 23, the number of permits issued in the Marcellus/Utica to drill new shale wells fell back to earth. Three weeks ago, 24 new permits were issued. Two weeks ago, the number increased to 36 new permits. Last week the number deflated, going down to 14. The Keystone State (PA) issued six new permits last week, with all six going to Blackhill Energy for a single pad in Bradford County.