Belmont County

American Energy Partners Inc. | Belmont County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Soil | Wastewater

Austin Master Frack Waste has Until Apr 17 to Regain Compliance
April 8, 2024April 8, 2024

Martins Ferry (OH) Mayor John Davies continues to make noise about the currently shuttered Austin Master Services (AMS) frack waste processing facility in his city. Two weeks ago, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost took legal action seeking to force AMS to correct “egregious violations of Ohio law” regarding the storage of oil and gas waste that he says threatens the Ohio River and Martins Ferry’s drinking water supply (see Ohio AG Sues Austin Master Services for Unsafe Storage of Wastewater). Media accounts report that AMS has stored at least 10,000 tons of fracking waste (drill cuttings) at the Martins Ferry facility. It’s rated to hold 600 tons.
Read More “Austin Master Frack Waste has Until Apr 17 to Regain Compliance”
Belmont County | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Wastewater

Flood Waters Get Close to Shuttered Austin Master Frack Waste
April 5, 2024April 8, 2024

Flooding in Martins Ferry, OH (credit: WTOV Channel 9)

Last week, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost took legal action seeking to force Austin Master Services (AMS) in Martins Ferry (Belmont County), OH, to correct “egregious violations of Ohio law” regarding the storage of oil and gas waste that he says threatens the Ohio River and Martins Ferry’s drinking water supply (see Ohio AG Sues Austin Master Services for Unsafe Storage of Wastewater). As the story began to unfold, we learned that AMS had stored at least 10,000 tons of fracking waste beyond its rating at the facility. Last weekend, the Ohio River, which is located 500 feet from the facility, reached flood stage and approached (but didn’t reach) the AMS facility.
Read More “Flood Waters Get Close to Shuttered Austin Master Frack Waste”
Ascent Resources | Belmont County | Energy Companies | Gulfport Energy | Industrywide Issues | Lease & Royalty Payments | Litigation | Ohio | Rice Energy

OH Landowners Appeal Jury Decision Allowing Pt Pleasant Drilling
April 3, 2024April 3, 2024

A royalty case that took nearly four years and hundreds of filings by both sides was finally decided by an Ohio jury in March (see OH Drillers Win Case Against Landowners re Drilling Deeper). The jury found in favor of several drillers (Ascent Resources, Gulfport Energy, Rice Energy) and against the rights owner (TERA II, LLC) in a case where the words “Point Pleasant” were not included in a lease agreement. The drillers drilled into the Point Pleasant, which sits on the border of the Utica, even though, technically, the lease did not allow it. The jury found the landowners did not “reserve their rights” to the Point Pleasant, given its location next to the Utica. The landowners are now appealing the jury decision.
Read More “OH Landowners Appeal Jury Decision Allowing Pt Pleasant Drilling”
American Energy Partners Inc. | Belmont County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Regulation | Wastewater

Martins Ferry Mayor Gives Update on Closed Frack Wastewater Facility
March 28, 2024April 8, 2024

Yesterday, MDN reported that Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost took legal action on Monday, seeking to force Austin Master Services (AMS) in Martins Ferry (Belmont County), OH, to correct “egregious violations of Ohio law” regarding the storage of oil and gas waste that he says threatens the Ohio River and Martins Ferry’s drinking water supply (see Ohio AG Sues Austin Master Services for Unsafe Storage of Wastewater). Last night, Martins Ferry Mayor John Davies addressed the ongoing situation of the now-shuttered AMS facility at the biweekly City Council meeting. We learned some interesting things in reading his comments.

4/8/24: Please see an important update about the ownership of AMS below.
Read More “Martins Ferry Mayor Gives Update on Closed Frack Wastewater Facility”
American Energy Partners Inc. | Belmont County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Ohio | Wastewater

Ohio AG Sues Austin Master Services for Unsafe Storage of Wastewater
March 27, 2024March 27, 2024

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost took legal action Monday, seeking to force Austin Master Services in Martins Ferry (Belmont County), OH, to correct “egregious violations of Ohio law” regarding storage of oil and gas waste that he says threatens the Ohio River (500 feet away) and Martins Ferry’s drinking water supply (1,000 feet away). Austin Master Services serves the Marcellus/Utica industry (and other industries) with radiological waste management solutions, including remediation, decontamination & decommissioning (D&D), and transportation. The company was bought by and is now a subsidiary of PA-based American Environmental Partners, Inc. (see American Energy Buys Radioactive Waste Co. Austin Master Services).
Read More “Ohio AG Sues Austin Master Services for Unsafe Storage of Wastewater”
Ascent Resources | Belmont County | Bradford County | Chesapeake Energy | CNX Resources | Energy Companies | Lycoming County | Marshall County | Ohio | Ohio County | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Seneca Resources | Southwestern Energy | Tioga County (PA) | Washington County | Weekly Permits | West Virginia

19 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Mar 4 – 10
March 18, 2024March 18, 2024

There were 19 new permits issued to drill in the Marcellus/Utica during the week of Mar. 4 – 10, up 2 from 17 permits issued the prior week. Pennsylvania issued 11 new permits. Ohio issued 5 new permits. And West Virginia issued 3 new permits. Range Resources and Ascent Resources tied for most new permits with 5 each. Range received 5 permits to drill in two PA counties: Lycoming and Washington. Ascent received 5 permits to drill in Belmont County, OH. Chesapeake Energy got 3 permits to drill in Bradford County, PA, and Seneca Resource also received 3 permits for Tioga County, PA. Southwestern Energy scored 2 permits for Ohio County, WV, and CNX Resources received a single permit for Marshall County, WV.
Read More “19 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Mar 4 – 10”
Belmont County | Ohio

Driller Nominates Wildlife Area in Belmont County, OH for Fracking
March 12, 2024March 12, 2024

A map of Egypt Valley Wildlife Area. (Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources)

In January 2023, Ohio House Bill (HB) 507 became law with the signature of Gov. Mike DeWine (see OH Gov. Signs Bill Expanding Drilling in State Parks, NatGas “Green”). The new law allows shale drilling under (but not on top of) Ohio state-owned land, including state parks. HB 507 encourages (pushes for) more drilling under state-owned land. The special commission created to award contracts — called the Ohio Oil & Gas Land Management Commission (OGLMC) — met in September to consider 12+ “nominations” or requests to drill received at that point (see Ohio Comm. Says 12.5% Royalties for State Land Drilling Too Cheap). More nominations have continued to roll in, including a nomination to drill under Egypt Valley Wildlife Area in Belmont County.
Read More “Driller Nominates Wildlife Area in Belmont County, OH for Fracking”
Ascent Resources | Belmont County | Energy Companies | Gulfport Energy | Industrywide Issues | Lease & Royalty Payments | Litigation | Ohio | Rice Energy | XTO

OH Drillers Win Case Against Landowners re Drilling Deeper
March 6, 2024March 6, 2024

Back in the summer of 2020, MDN told you about a lawsuit brought by an Ohio rights owner called TERA, an organization that owns the royalty rights for a number of leases with wells in Belmont County, OH, drilled by different producers, suing the producers for drilling into the Point Pleasant shale layer when the lease only mentions the Utica layer (see OH Landowners Sue Rice, Ascent, XTO, Gulfport for Drilling Too Deep). The case took nearly four years and hundreds of filings by both sides, but last week, a jury found in favor of the drillers (the defendants) and against the rights owner (the plaintiffs). This case likely has far-reaching consequences for landowners and drillers in Ohio.
Read More “OH Drillers Win Case Against Landowners re Drilling Deeper”
Apex Energy | Ascent Resources | Beech Resources | Belmont County | Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Diversified Energy | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Greene County (PA) | Gulfport Energy | Harrison County | Harrison County | Lycoming County | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Seneca Resources | Susquehanna County | Tioga County (PA) | Washington County | Weekly Permits | West Virginia | Westmoreland County

20 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Jan 29 – Feb 4
February 9, 2024February 9, 2024

There were 20 new permits issued to drill in the Marcellus/Utica during the week of Jan. 29 – Feb. 4, versus 27 permits issued during the prior week. Pennsylvania issued 12 new permits last week. Ohio issued 6 new permits. West Virginia issued 2 new permits last week. We had a tie for the company receiving the most permits. Seneca Resources received 4 permits to drill in Tioga County, PA, and Ascent Resources received 4 permits to drill in Harrison County, OH.
Read More “20 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Jan 29 – Feb 4”
Ascent Resources | Belmont County | Energy Companies | Harrison County | Industrywide Issues | Jefferson County (OH) | M&A | Monroe County | Northern Oil & Gas | Ohio

NOG Closes on Deal for Ascent-Operated Utica Wells & Acreage
February 6, 2024February 6, 2024

Last November, Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. (NOG), a company that invests in non-operated oil and gas assets (they let others do the drilling), announced a deal to enter the Utica Shale (see NOG Invests in Utica Wells, Acreage Operated by Ascent Resources). The deal includes non-operated interests in Ohio’s Jefferson, Harrison, Belmont, and Monroe counties. Yesterday, NOG said it closed on the deal and now owns those assets.
Read More “NOG Closes on Deal for Ascent-Operated Utica Wells & Acreage”
Allegheny County | Antero Resources | Apex Energy | Ascent Resources | Belmont County | Butler County | CNX Resources | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Greene County (PA) | Guernsey County | Gulfport Energy | INR/Infinity Natural Resources | Jefferson County (OH) | Laurel Mountain Energy | Lycoming County | Ohio | Olympus/Huntley & Huntley | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Tyler County | Weekly Permits | West Virginia | Westmoreland County

27 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Jan 22 – 28
February 2, 2024February 2, 2024

There were 27 new permits issued to drill in the Marcellus/Utica during the week of Jan. 22 – 28, versus 20 permits issued during the prior week. Pennsylvania issued 19 new permits last week. Ohio issued 5 new permits. West Virginia issued 3 new permits last week. Olympus Energy scored the most new permits with 7, all of them in Westmoreland County, PA. Apex Energy came in second with 6 new permits, also in Westmoreland. In fact, Westmoreland County, in southwestern PA, received 15 new permits last week, by far the most of any county.
Read More “27 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Jan 22 – 28”
Antero Resources | Apex Energy | Armstrong County | Ascent Resources | Belmont County | Centre County | Doddridge County | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Greene County (PA) | Guernsey County | Gulfport Energy | Monroe County | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Ritchie County | Seneca Resources | Snyder Brothers | Southwestern Energy | Susquehanna County | Tioga County (PA) | Washington County | Weekly Permits | West Virginia | Westmoreland County | XPR Resources

35 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Dec 11-17
December 22, 2023January 24, 2024

New shale permits issued for Dec 11 – 17 in the Marcellus/Utica continued the trend up over the previous week. There were 35 new permits issued last week versus 27 issued two weeks ago. Last week’s permit tally included 17 new permits in Pennsylvania, 13 new permits in Ohio, and 5 new permits in West Virginia. The company receiving the most permits last week was Ascent Resources with 8 new permits in two different counties: Guernsey and Belmont counties in OH. Antero was second highest with 5 new permits in Ritchie and Doddridge counties in WV.
Read More “35 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Dec 11-17”
Ascent Resources | Belmont County | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Gulfport Energy | Industrywide Issues | Lease & Royalty Payments | Litigation | Ohio | XTO

Court Orders Ohio Drillers to Produce Documents in Royalty Dispute
December 21, 2023January 24, 2024

Back in the summer of 2020, MDN told you about a lawsuit brought by an Ohio rights owner called TERA, an organization that appears to own the royalty rights for a number of leases with wells in Belmont County, OH, drilled by different producers, suing the producers for drilling into the Point Pleasant shale layer when the lease only mentions the Utica layer (see OH Landowners Sue Rice, Ascent, XTO, Gulfport for Drilling Too Deep). That lawsuit continues to grind on. Last week, a judge ruled the drillers being sued must produce certain documents sought by the plaintiff (rights owner).
Read More “Court Orders Ohio Drillers to Produce Documents in Royalty Dispute”
Belmont County | Energy Services | Ethane | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Processing Plants | PTT Global

PTT Working on Plan to Build Petchem Plant…in Thailand, Not Ohio
December 19, 2023January 24, 2024

This is your friendly (somewhat snarky) semi-annual reminder from MDN that the PTT ethane cracker project in Ohio is dead (see Facing Reality – PTT Ohio Cracker Plant Project is Dead). We periodically look for signs of life in the project, and it has been a flat line for YEARS. Nothing. Local and state leaders in Ohio sometimes pop their heads up to tell us to have hope; it will still happen. BUNKUM. Earlier today, PTT Global Chemical Public Company, the parent that would build an ethane cracker in Belmont County, OH, announced a deal with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries “to explore the utilization of hydrogen, ammonia and CCS technology to develop a large-scale petrochemical plant to achieve Net Zero.” However, the location of the plant will be in Thailand, PTT’s home country, and NOT in Ohio. We’ve pointed out for years that PTT has all sorts of money to work on big, multi-billion-dollar petrochemical plant projects elsewhere, but apparently there is not enough money for the Belmont ethane cracker. Why?
Read More “PTT Working on Plan to Build Petchem Plant…in Thailand, Not Ohio”
Apex Energy | Ascent Resources | Belmont County | Best of the Rest | Encino Energy | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Guernsey County | Jefferson County (OH) | Marion County | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Southwestern Energy | Susquehanna County | Weekly Permits | West Virginia | Westmoreland County

27 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Dec 4 – 10
December 15, 2023December 15, 2023

New shale permits issued for Dec 4 – 10 in the Marcellus/Utica were up by 2 over the previous week. There were 27 new permits issued last week versus 25 issued two weeks ago. However, there was a major surprise! Last week’s permit tally included 8 new permits in Pennsylvania, 9 new permits in Ohio, and 10 new permits in West Virginia. The pattern is typically the opposite, with PA receiving the most permits and WV the least. The company receiving the most permits last week was EQT Corporation, with all 10 of WV’s permits all on the same well pad in Marion County.
Read More “27 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Dec 4 – 10”
Ascent Resources | Belmont County | Energy Companies | Harrison County | Jefferson County (OH) | Monroe County | Northern Oil & Gas | Ohio

NOG Invests in Utica Wells, Acreage Operated by Ascent Resources
November 22, 2023November 22, 2023

In February 2021, Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. (NOG), a company that invests in non-operated oil and gas assets (they let others do the drilling), announced it had purchased 64,000 net acres producing ~120 MMcfe/d (million cubic feet equivalent per day) in the Marcellus/Utica from Reliance Industries Limited (see Northern O&G Buys 64K Acres of RIL’s Non-Op M-U Assets for $250M). According to NOG’s second quarter 2022 update, the company continued sniffing around the M-U, looking for more deals (see Northern Oil & Gas Continues to Sniff for Deals in the Marcellus). It took a while (more than a year), but they finally found another deal. Yesterday, NOG announced a “bolt-on” acquisition in its Permian portfolio, and a deal to enter the Ohio Utica.
Read More “NOG Invests in Utica Wells, Acreage Operated by Ascent Resources”