24 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Nov 3 – 9
You knew the number of new permits issued in the M-U would come back down to earth sooner or later. Last week it happened. After three consecutive weeks with numbers of 37, 39, and 37, the number of new permits issued fell to 24 last week. Still respectable, but not in the coveted 30s. Pennsylvania issued 16 new permits last week, up from 13 the prior week. Ohio issued 6 new permits, down from 8 the prior week. West Virginia was shut out, issuing no new permits last week, which was the main reason why the number fell precipitously. Read More “24 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Nov 3 – 9”

Marcellus/Utica natural gas production is rebounding in November, increasing by about 700 MMcf/d to an average of 35.5 Bcf/d recently, as drillers react to rising in-basin pricing and tightening regional fundamentals due to higher seasonal demand. This increase signifies an easing of the production shut-ins carried out during the third quarter when loose supply-demand dynamics pushed prices, which averaged $1.40-$2.97/MMBtu, to an average of below $2/MMBtu on more than a third of days.
During the third quarter, Expand Energy, formed by the merger of Chesapeake Energy and Southwestern Energy in late 2024, significantly expanded its portfolio by acquiring 82,500 new acres across the Marcellus and Haynesville shale plays for approximately $235 million. The company added approximately 7,500 acres in the Marcellus in Ohio and West Virginia for $57 million, which can accommodate over 40 well locations. The larger acquisition involved 75,000 acres in the western Haynesville for $178 million, with the potential for over 200 locations. Expand, which produced 7.33 Bcfe/d (92% natural gas), reported strong financial results for the quarter, including nearly $3 billion in revenue and a profit of $547 million. The company produced 7.2 Bcfe/d in 2Q25. Expand is the largest natural gas producer in the country.
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.
Expand Energy, formed by the merger of Chesapeake Energy and Southwestern Energy, is the largest natural gas producer in the U.S. with approximately 1.9 million leased net acres. The company operates in three distinct regions: Northeast Appalachia (Pennsylvania), Southwest Appalachia (primarily West Virginia, with additional presence in Pennsylvania and Ohio), and the Haynesville (Louisiana). Expand CEO Nick Dell’Osso appeared yesterday on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” segment to share his insights on the supply-demand dynamic for natural gas, pipelines, and more. He had some VERY interesting things to say.
In October 2024, Chesapeake Energy completed its $8.2 billion merger with Southwestern Energy (renaming the combined company Expand Energy), and in the process became the country’s #1 highest producing natural gas company, taking that title away from EQT Corporation (see
Earlier this month, we brought you the bombshell news that Antero Resources, the country’s fifth-largest natural gas producer and largest producer in West Virginia, is preparing to market its Ohio Utica assets, hoping to fetch $900 million to $1 billion (see 