Harrison County

American Energy Partners | Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Harrison County | Lease & Royalty Payments | Ohio | Utica Shale

Harrison County, OH Hauls in $1.6M in 2 Weeks from Utica Leases
February 24, 2015February 24, 2015

Even though the price of oil and natural gas is depressed, there are still lease deals happening–particularly in the Ohio Utica Shale region–that make your eyes pop out. Whoops! Just had to put an eyeball back in. It popped out at the latest lease numbers coming from Harrison County, OH where they’ve taken in $1.6 million over the past couple of weeks…
Read More “Harrison County, OH Hauls in $1.6M in 2 Weeks from Utica Leases”
Energy Services | Harrison County | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | MarkWest Energy | Ohio | Processing Plants

MarkWest Energy Accused of Using Non-Union, Non-Ohio Workers
February 24, 2015February 24, 2015

Calling OH Gov. John “foreigner hunter” Kasich. We have an infraction! Quick! You’re needed, stat. Word has leaked out that MarkWest Energy has not only reduced the number of union members they’re using on jobs in Harrison County, OH, they’re using non-union (gasp) out-of-state workers–from exotic places like Texas and Louisiana and Oklahoma. Those places have been defined by John Kasich as “foreign” locations (i.e. non-Ohio). Periodically the jingoist-in-chief gets on his high horse and goes riding after those darned foreigners (see OH Gov. Kasich Continues Trash Talk Out-of-State Workers and OH Gov. Kasich Goes After Out-of-State Engineers/Surveyors and OH Gov. Kasich Goes Foreigner-Hunting in Strasburg and OH Gov. Kasich Dedicates Hickory Bend Plant, No Foreigners Found). Well, we’ve found the site of another infraction…
Read More “MarkWest Energy Accused of Using Non-Union, Non-Ohio Workers”
Energy Services | Harrison County | Industrywide Issues | Marathon Petroleum | Ohio | Pipelines | Statewide OH

Marathon Announces Open Season on New Wet Gas Pipelines
February 10, 2015February 10, 2015

Marathon Pipe Line and Ohio River Pipeline, both subsidiaries of Marathon Petroleum Corp., announced binding open seasons on two new pipeline projects in Ohio and beyond. The first is called Cornerstone Pipeline is a 16-inch pipeline for condensate, natural gasoline, diluent and butaine (NGLs) that will begin in Harrison County, OH and run for about 50 miles to Marathon’s refinery in Canton, OH. Along the way it has the potential to connect various processing facilities. The second project is something they’re calling the Utica Build-Out Projects–a pipeline or pipelines that will carry product beyond Canton to other Midwest refineries, reaching Chicago and even into Canada…
Read More “Marathon Announces Open Season on New Wet Gas Pipelines”
Accidents | Energy Services | Harrison County | Industrywide Issues | MarkWest Energy | Ohio | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide OH

MarkWest Fined $320K by Ohio EPA for Mud Spills in Creeks/Swamps
December 1, 2014December 1, 2014

MarkWest Energy, the largest midstream company in the Marcellus/Utica, has spent the last three years building pipelines in eastern Ohio to connect wells to processing plants and to larger interstate pipelines. In the process, the company has spent some $2.2 billion building 350 miles of pipeline (and processing plants)–and MarkWest isn’t done yet. However, during the rapid buildout of infrastructure in the Buckeye State, some minor spills have happened along the way. When drilling under creeks and swamps (otherwise renamed as “wetlands”), occasionally drilling mud spilled out–some 19 different times between 2012 and 2013. The Ohio EPA has concluded their investigation and has just fined MarkWest $320,000 for the series of spills…
Read More “MarkWest Fined $320K by Ohio EPA for Mud Spills in Creeks/Swamps”
Eclipse Resources | Energy Companies | Harrison County | Monroe County | Ohio | Utica Shale

Eclipse Numbers: Dry Gas vs Wet Gas in Utica – Which One Wins?
October 27, 2014October 27, 2014

Some encouraging numbers from a set of well pads in the Ohio Utica Shale from Eclipse Resources. Eclipse’s Shroyer well pad in Eastern Monroe County, OH has two wells producing a combined 42.5 MMcf/d–VERY healthy initial production numbers and something to crow about. They also have a 5-well pad, the Mizer pad in Central Harrison County, OH, that’s producing a combined 10.1 MMcf/d of natural gas and approximately 1,800 Bbl/d of condensate. Not much in the way of methane but a decent amount of condensate production. How do the two sets of wells stack up against each other? Let’s run the economic numbers for Eclipse on the methane only vs condensate wells. Which do you think earns them more money?…
Read More “Eclipse Numbers: Dry Gas vs Wet Gas in Utica – Which One Wins?”
Earthquakes | Harrison County | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Research | Utica Shale

Study Says Series of Unfelt Earthquakes in OH from Utica Fracking
October 16, 2014October 16, 2014

Another day, another “study” that says fracking causes earthquakes–this time in Ohio’s Utica Shale. In typical and now predictable fashion, mainstream media does a “drive-by” with the information–like a drive-by shooting–and then continues on its merry way. Here at MDN we’ll break it down and explain it so you have ALL the facts and not anti-drilling “impressions” of what the data says. First off, an admission that we don’t (yet) have a full copy of the newly published study, which has reportedly been published in the journal Seismological Research Letters (but which we can’t find on their website). We’ve requested a full copy of the paper and are awaiting it and hope to share it with you when we get it. The study is titled, “Characterization of an earthquake sequence triggered by hydraulic fracturing in Harrison County Ohio” and looks at a series of “400 earthquakes” that were so tiny as to be unfelt by anyone–but detectable by finely tuned equipment. The earthquakes happened in Harrison County, OH and are thought (but not proven) to be the result of fracking several Utica wells over top of a previously unknown geologic fault. The author of the study himself says the earthquakes couldn’t even be felt by anyone…
Read More “Study Says Series of Unfelt Earthquakes in OH from Utica Fracking”
Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Harrison County | Industrywide Issues | Lease & Royalty Payments | Ohio | Pipelines

Harrison County Landowers Say Dominion Pipeline Offer is Too Low
October 6, 2014October 8, 2014

Dominion wants to widen an existing right-of-way to build a 16.5 mile natural gas pipeline in Harrison County, OH. But according to landowners under whose property the pipeline would sit, Dominion is low-balling them–offering, literally pennies on the dollar. How much is the offer, and what’s the going rate to lease land for a 36″ pipeline in that area of Ohio?…
Read More “Harrison County Landowers Say Dominion Pipeline Offer is Too Low”
Energy Services | Ethane | Harrison County | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | NGLs | NOVA Chemicals | Ohio | Pipelines | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

Canadian NOVA Chemicals to Ship Utica Ethane via UTOPIA
September 30, 2014September 30, 2014

In December, midstream company Kinder Morgan announced they would build a 210-mile, 10-inch natural gas liquids (NGL) pipeline that will carry Utica ethane and propane from Harrison County, OH, to Riga, MI. From Riga, the NGLs will hitch a ride via the KM Cochin Pipeline east to Windsor, Ontario, Canada (see UTOPIA is Coming! The UTOPIA Pipeline, that is…). Earlier this month MDN told you that UTOPIA launched an open season to sign up customers for the pipeline (see UTOPIA Open Season Begins Today – OH to MI NGL Pipeline). Not surprisingly, Kinder has just announced that NOVA Chemicals, owner of the Corunna ethane cracker plant in Ontario, has signed up as one of Kinder’s main customers for UTOPIA. We did, however, notice a few interesting things about this latest announcement…
Read More “Canadian NOVA Chemicals to Ship Utica Ethane via UTOPIA”
Energy Services | Ethane | Exporting | Harrison County | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Ohio | Pipelines

UTOPIA Open Season Begins Today – OH to MI NGL Pipeline
September 5, 2014September 5, 2014

Back in December MDN told you about Kinder Morgan’s new proposed new pipeline called the Utica To Ontario Pipeline Access, or UTOPIA (see UTOPIA is Coming! The UTOPIA Pipeline, that is…). The 240-mile natural gas liquids (NGL, specifically ethane and propane) pipeline will connect multiple fractionation facilities in Harrison County, OH, to Riga, MI. From Riga, the NGLs will hitch a ride via the KM Cochin Pipeline east to Windsor, Ontario, Canada where they will be delivered to NOVA Chemicals. The new $300 million, 10-inch pipeline from OH to MI is what is called UTOPIA. Yesterday KM announced a binding open season for UTOPIA…
Read More “UTOPIA Open Season Begins Today – OH to MI NGL Pipeline”
Eclipse Resources | Energy Companies | Harrison County | Monroe County | Ohio | Utica Shale

Eclipse Resources: Production Results for 7 OH Utica Wells
September 4, 2014September 4, 2014

Eclipse Resources, a small but rapidly growing independent driller focused on the Marcellus and Utica Shale region, released the initial production results for their two most recent well pads in the Utica Shale–one pad in Monroe County, the other in Harrison County. Eclipse drilled seven wells across the two pads, and if you combine them, the seven wells are producing (initial production or IP) 52.6 million cubic feet of natural gas per day, and 1,800 barrels of condensate per day. Very respectable numbers. Here’s the full details, along with a copy of an investor presentation (lots of great maps and charts) just released…
Read More “Eclipse Resources: Production Results for 7 OH Utica Wells”
American Energy Partners | Belmont County | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Harrison County | Industrywide Issues | Jefferson County (OH) | Marshall County | Monroe County | Ohio | Pipelines | Regency Energy Partners | Utica Shale | West Virginia

McClendon Invests in New Utica Pipeline Project, JV with Regency
August 8, 2014August 8, 2014

It was only in June, less than two months ago, that MDN brought you the news that it sure seems like Aubrey McClendon is building a new company that looks a lot like the first company he built, Chesapeake Energy (see Aubrey McClendon Gets Back into the Midstream Business). McClendon is not only high on Utica and Marcellus drilling with his newly formed American Energy Partners company, he’s also high on building the pipelines needed to conduct the gas out of the borehole. His new midstream division was set up to work on such projects. And less than two months later, we have the first of those projects. Yesterday McClendon’s new midstream division and Regency Energy Partners announced a joint venture to build the Utica Ohio River Project for $500 million…
Read More “McClendon Invests in New Utica Pipeline Project, JV with Regency”
Harrison County | Lease & Royalty Payments | Ohio

MWCD Neighbor Asks District to Include Them in Future Lease Deal
July 22, 2014July 22, 2014

The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) was formed in 1933 to help control flooding and promote water conservation in the Muskingum River watershed area of Ohio, an area that covers 8,000 square miles. Over the past few years the MWCD has been aggressively leasing some of it’s 54,000 acres for shale drilling, a move that is making the organization big bucks (see MWCD Reinvesting $300M of Utica Shale Revenue over Next 10 Yrs). Some of the MWCD leases are for drilling under and around reservoirs (see Antero Pays $15K/Acre, 20% Royalties for MWCD Piedmont Lake Lease). Anti-drillers have, of course, tried to spoil it (see Anti-Drillers Win Minor Victory Against Muskingum Watershed Dist), but such efforts have been largely unsuccessful in their attempt to derail shale drilling on MWCD land. What you don’t usually hear about are stories like this one…
Read More “MWCD Neighbor Asks District to Include Them in Future Lease Deal”
Belmont County | Eclipse Resources | Energy Companies | Guernsey County | Harrison County | Monroe County | Noble County | Ohio | Utica Shale

Marcellus/Utica Driller Eclipse Resources IPO Seeks $864M+
June 19, 2014June 19, 2014

Just over a month ago MDN brought you the news that PA-based Marcellus/Utica driller Eclipse Resources would soon float an initial public offering (IPO) hoping to raise $100 million (see Utica Driller Eclipse Resources Files IPO – Wants to Raise $100M). It now appears the information in that story was off–way off. Earlier this month Eclipse launched their IPO by announcing they want to sell 30.3 million shares of common stock for $27-$30 per share. If you calculate they get $28.50, that would raise $864 million!…
Read More “Marcellus/Utica Driller Eclipse Resources IPO Seeks $864M+”
Harrison County | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Ohio | Utica Shale

Patience Gone: OH County Recorder Threatens to Sue for More Space
June 13, 2014June 13, 2014

The County Clerk–or in some places County Recorder–is usually a pretty low-key person in a low-key job. It’s that person’s job to keep track of land deeds and official paperwork for the county. MDN has previously pointed out an early indicator of where there will soon be drilling is when the County Clerk/Recorder’s office gets busy. In some cases, land agents have camped out overnight waiting to get in to a deed records office (see Title Researchers Camp Out at Tyler County (WV) Clerk’s Office). Harrison County, OH’s County Recorder is Tracy Boyer. The records office where she works has been hopping busy going on two years now. Tracy is normally a patient person, but her patience, after two years, has run out. She’s threatening to sue Harrison County commissioners over the need to expand the physical space her office needs to accommodate the ongoing flood of people who use it…
Read More “Patience Gone: OH County Recorder Threatens to Sue for More Space”
Belmont County | EMG | Energy Services | Guernsey County | Harrison County | Industrywide Issues | M&A | MarkWest Energy | Noble County | Ohio | Pipelines | Processing Plants | Summit Midstream

Summit Midstream Cuts $377M Check for 40% of Ohio Gathering
June 4, 2014June 4, 2014

Ohio Gathering is a midstream (pipelines and processing plants) company operating in the southeastern Ohio area–Harrison, Guernsey, Belmont, Noble and Monroe counties. It is a joint venture owned by MarkWest, EMG and until recently, Gulfport Energy. In January MDN told you that Summit Midstream would be buying Gulfport’s 40% ownership interest (see Summit Midstream Closes Deal to Buy 40% Stake in Ohio Gathering). These things take time with lots of lawyers and due dillgence and enough paperwork to re-paper the walls in a dozen homes. The paperwork is done and Summit has cut the check–a $377 million check that will go into the bank account of MarkWest and EMG…
Read More “Summit Midstream Cuts $377M Check for 40% of Ohio Gathering”
Belmont County | Energy Companies | Guernsey County | Gulfport Energy | Harrison County | Monroe County | Ohio

Kudos: Gulfport Energy Donates $400K to OH Non-Profits
May 28, 2014May 28, 2014

Gulfport Energy has just done a very nice thing for the residents of eastern Ohio. Last Thursday Gulfport’s CEO Michael Moore was on hand in Cambridge (Guernsey County), OH to bestow a $400,000 gift to the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio. The gift is called the Gulfport Energy Fund and will be used for non-profits and educational institutions in those communities where Gulfport is actively drilling: Belmont, Guernsey, Harrison, or Monroe counties…
Read More “Kudos: Gulfport Energy Donates $400K to OH Non-Profits”