Monroe County

Blue Ridge Mtn Res/Magnum Hunter | Energy Companies | Monroe County | Ohio | Utica Shale

Magnum Hunter’s Prolific (& Dry) Utica Well in Monroe County, OH
February 17, 2014February 17, 2014

Last week Magnum Hunter released an announcement (below) about their first Utica Shale well, drilled in Monroe County, OH. The company reports it’s an almost totally “dry” shale well–producing 97% methane (almost no natural gas liquids). But oh baby, is it ever productive! MH’s Stalder #3UH, which sits on a well pad that may at some point support up to an eye-popping 18 wells, had an initial production (IP) of 32 million cubic feet of natural gas per day (Mmcf/d). That’s not the highest rate we’ve seen (that honor still goes to Antero Resources’ Yontz well in Belmont County). However, 32 Mmcf/d puts the Stalder #3UH well in an elite group of the top 2-3 best-producing wells in the Ohio Utica–so a big congratulations to Magnum Hunter!

Here’s last week’s announcement from MH:
Read More “Magnum Hunter’s Prolific (& Dry) Utica Well in Monroe County, OH”
Economic Impact | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Monroe County | Ohio | Taxation | Triad Hunter | Utica Shale

Utica Shale Bails Monroe County out of Potential Hole
February 10, 2014February 10, 2014

Ormet, an aluminum plant in Hannibal (Monroe County), OH is the county’s largest employer with 700 people working at the plant. Ormet officials shut the plant down last October claiming they couldn’t get a reasonable agreement on reducing high electric rates for the plant. That’s 700 people out on the street, looking for jobs (see Ormet Workers Rally At AEP). But what’s this? Monroe County Auditor Pandora Neuhart and County Treasurer Judy Gramlich are not worried about sales tax revenues in the county taking a hit from all of those unemployed workers. Why? Because Utica Shale drilling has taken off in the county and tax revenues from drilling are starting to flow in.

New Utica drilling revenue is not jump-up-and-down good news for the displaced Ormet workers (that situation needs urgent attention by Gov. Kasich), but the new Utica revenue is a good sign that regular county operations will not be adversely affected by the Ormet layoffs. Thank you Utica Shale! An update on Utica drilling in Monroe County, and how the now bankrupt Ormet is profiting from it (with wells on their property)…
Read More “Utica Shale Bails Monroe County out of Potential Hole”
Belmont County | Harrison County | Monroe County | Ohio | Utica Shale

OH’s Biggest Producing Utica Counties: Belmont, Monroe, Harrison
January 8, 2014January 8, 2014

More analysis of the recent third quarter 2013 Utica Shale production report released on Dec. 31 by the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources, including which counties had the best production in 3Q13:
Read More “OH’s Biggest Producing Utica Counties: Belmont, Monroe, Harrison”
Blue Ridge Mtn Res/Magnum Hunter | Energy Companies | Monroe County | Ohio | Utica Shale

Magnum Hunter’s 3 Ormet Wells in Monroe County – Okay Results
December 24, 2013December 24, 2013

Some interesting production numbers from three wells drilled by Triad Hunter, the drilling subsidiary of Magnum Hunter, on property owned by the now bankrupt Ormet Corp, a huge aluminum smelter plant. The wells are in Monroe County, OH, the home of the (so far) most productive Utica Shale well in the state–the Yontz well drilled by Antero Resources (see Antero Resources Utica Well Produces Stratospheric 38.9 Mmcf/d).

Monroe County is south of Belmont County and in what is now believed to be the sweet spot of the sweet spot in Utica Shale drilling–which includes Belmont, Harrison, Guernsey, Noble and Monroe counties. The production numbers for the three Magnum Hunter wells are, well, not all that impressive when compared to the Antero well and other wells in the southeastern OH area. Production for the MH three wells range from 2.7 to 5.1 million cubic feet per day of natural gas. However, the three wells together produce an average 1,788 barrels of condensate, which is impressive, because condensate sells for (a lot) more money than methane…
Read More “Magnum Hunter’s 3 Ormet Wells in Monroe County – Okay Results”
Blue Ridge Mtn Res/Magnum Hunter | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Eureka Midstream | Industrywide Issues | Monroe County | Noble County | Ohio | Pipelines | Ritchie County | Tyler County | Utica Shale | Washington County (OH) | West Virginia

Magnum Hunter 2014 CapEx: Utica/Marcellus
December 13, 2013December 13, 2013

In our season of 2014 guidance statements, Magnum Hunter Resources has just issued theirs. And what do we find when we open this particular Christmas present? The company will spend $400 million on capital expenditure projects in 2014, and the vast majority of it will go to the Utica and Marcellus Shale. Magnum Hunter plans to lease more acreage in the Marcellus/Utica, increase drilling rigs from two to three, and build out more pipelines in the northeast too. The Ohio Utica is a particular focus for Magnum Hunter in 2014.

Here is their 2014 blueprint, including which counties in OH and WV will see drilling action from Magnum Hunter in 2014:
Read More “Magnum Hunter 2014 CapEx: Utica/Marcellus”
Belmont County | Lease & Royalty Payments | Monroe County | Noble County | Ohio | Utica Shale

OH’s Largest School District Gets $1M+ from Lease Bonuses
November 27, 2013November 27, 2013

Ohio’s largest school district (geographically speaking), the Switzerland of Ohio Local Schools in eastern Ohio, has raked in over $1 million so far from Marcellus/Utica Shale drilling deals. It’s located in some of the best drilling spots in the Ohio Utica (Monroe/Belmont/Noble counties). Even so, the school is headed for “devastating cuts” according to the school treasurer, due to a collapse in enrollment over the last 20 years.

The money received so far from shale deals is from lease payments, not royalties. Will the school district go on over the fiscal cliff? Or will shale royalties come along in time to save the day? School officials are not sure…
Read More “OH’s Largest School District Gets $1M+ from Lease Bonuses”
Belmont County | Carroll County | Chesapeake Energy | Columbiana County | Energy Companies | Gulfport Energy | Harrison County | Jefferson County (OH) | Monroe County | Ohio | Utica Shale

OH Utica Drilling Shifting from North to South, Gradually
November 18, 2013November 18, 2013

Although the Ohio Utica Shale is still in its relative infancy (very early days yet) when it comes to figuring out where the best places to drill are located, the “sweet spot” is ever-so-gradually taking shape. Early on Chesapeake Energy guessed it was in the northern counties of eastern Ohio–particularly in Carroll and Columbiana counties. But in December 2012 they admitted they got it wrong (see Chesapeake Admits Misjudging Ohio Utica Sweet Spot). Gulfport seems to have dialed in on one of the more productive locations in the Utica–in Belmont and Harrison counties (see Gulfport’s New Record-Breaking Well in Belmont Cnty – 30.3 Mmcf/d).

In fact, Belmont County now has 50 permits to drill. That may seem small compared to 339 permits in Carroll County, but as we said, ever-so-gradually the focus on drilling seems to be shifting south in Ohio. An update…
Read More “OH Utica Drilling Shifting from North to South, Gradually”
Beck Energy | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Lease & Royalty Payments | Litigation | Monroe County | Ohio | Utica Shale

Beck Energy Sues OH Attorneys for Lease “Interference”
October 30, 2013October 30, 2013

An interesting court case that landowners in Monroe County, OH with old (30 year-old) non-Utica gas leases will be interested in following. Beck Energy holds many of those old leases (originally signed for an average $50/acre) which allows them to drill vertically into the Clinton sandstone for natural gas. However, the old leases prevent landowners from signing new leases (at much higher signing bonuses) to allow Utica Shale drilling. Apparently some enterprising attorneys have taken up the cause by shopping (i.e. advertising) for plaintiffs and Beck is none to happy about it. Beck has filed a lawsuit against the attorneys and their law firms to stop them from making mischief with “their” leases.

After reading the details of whose done what to whom (below), it seems to MDN no one will come out of this one smelling clean…
Read More “Beck Energy Sues OH Attorneys for Lease “Interference””
Antero Resources | Energy Companies | Monroe County | Ohio | Utica Shale

Antero Resources Utica Well Produces Stratospheric 38.9 Mmcf/d
August 29, 2013

Somehow the following news (now a few weeks old) slipped by our usually-good radar. Antero Resources has taken the top spot away from Gulfport Energy as having the most productive Utica Shale well in Ohio. Gulfport had what was dubbed their “alpha dog” well, the Wagner 1-H well producing 14 million cubic feet of natural gas per day (Mmcf/d). Then came Gulfport’s Shugert 1-1H, which MDN dubbed the “King of Utica Shale wells” producing a whopping 20 Mmcf/d. After that was the Shugert 1-12H well, sister well to the 1-1H. We called that one “the Emperor well” producing 28.5 Mmcf/d (see Gulfport’s New Utica Well Produces Mind-blowing 28.5 Mmcf/d!).

We’re now officially out of metaphors and labels. Antero Resources’ Yontz Utica Shale well recently saw a peak rate of a truly mind-blowing 38.9 Mmcf/d. Gulfport’s Shugert wells are in Belmont County. The Yontz well is located in Monroe County, just south of Belmont…
Read More “Antero Resources Utica Well Produces Stratospheric 38.9 Mmcf/d”
Blue Ridge Mtn Res/Magnum Hunter | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Eureka Midstream | Monroe County | Ohio | Triad Hunter

Magnum Hunter Drills 2nd OH Location – Plans 18 Wells on 1 Pad!
July 2, 2013July 2, 2013

Magnum Hunter Resources announced today they have begun shale drilling at a second Ohio location–this one in Monroe County, OH. While the fact that Magnum is now ramping up their Utica drilling program is interesting–that’s not the “new news” in the announcement. The new news is this:

The Monroe County wells are the first wells Magnum Hunter will drill using their new robotic drilling rig, a Schramm T500XD. Furthermore, they plan to drill an astonishing 18 wells at this one location–10 of them Marcellus wells, and 8 of them Utica wells. In addition, Magnum is keeping it “all in the family,” by using subsidiary Triad Hunter to operate the wells and subsidiary Eureka Hunter to pipeline the gas from the wells…
Read More “Magnum Hunter Drills 2nd OH Location – Plans 18 Wells on 1 Pad!”
Beck Energy | Belmont County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Lease & Royalty Payments | Litigation | Monroe County | Ohio | XTO

XTO, Beck Energy Appeal OH Case Allowing Lease Termination
March 15, 2013March 15, 2013

Earlier this week MDN told you about 600-700 landowners in Ohio who won a lawsuit allowing them to terminate leases held with Beck Energy and XTO Energy (see OH Lawsuit Victory: 600-700 Landowners Can Terminate Beck, XTO Leases).

Beck and XTO are none too happy with the decision and have appealed it to the Ohio Court of Appeals:

Read More “XTO, Beck Energy Appeal OH Case Allowing Lease Termination”
Beck Energy | Belmont County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Lease & Royalty Payments | Litigation | Monroe County | Ohio | XTO

OH Lawsuit Victory: 600-700 Landowners Can Terminate Beck, XTO Leases
March 11, 2013March 11, 2013

A court case recently-decided could have big implications for landowners in Ohio. The case means that some 600-700 landowners with signed leases with Beck Energy Corp. and XTO Energy in Monroe and Belmont counties may be able to join a class action to have their leases terminated, allowing them to re-sign with a different company.

The details, as provided by law firm Jackson Kelly:

Read More “OH Lawsuit Victory: 600-700 Landowners Can Terminate Beck, XTO Leases”
Crosstex Energy | E2 | Energy Services | Enerven Compression Services | Industrywide Issues | Monroe County | Noble County | Ohio | Pipelines | Processing Plants | Utica Shale

Crosstex Energy to Build New Compressors, Processing Plant in OH
March 6, 2013March 6, 2013

Crosstex Energy has formed a joint venture with Enerven Compression Services called E2 to build and operate new compressor stations and a condensate processing plant in the Ohio Utica Shale. In their announcement today, Crosstex says the company has set up a new $75 million line of credit and will invest an initial $50 million from it in the new JV. First up is building two compressor stations in Noble and Monroe counties in Ohio—they already have an unnamed customer lined up for those. After that, they’ll build a condensate (“natural gasoline”) processing plant. Crosstex will own 93% of the JV and Enerven will own the other 7%.

The Crosstex announcement from this morning:

Read More “Crosstex Energy to Build New Compressors, Processing Plant in OH”
Carroll County | Columbiana County | Guernsey County | Harrison County | Monroe County | Ohio | Utica Shale

Another 20 Utica Shale Permits Issued Last Week in OH
March 6, 2013March 6, 2013

The latest permit numbers released from the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources shows 20 new permits for the week ending March 2nd.

Here’s where the latest round of permits were issued, along with an update on how many wells have been drilled and are now in production in Ohio:

Read More “Another 20 Utica Shale Permits Issued Last Week in OH”
Anadarko | Athens County | Encore Energy | Energy Companies | Guernsey County | Lease & Royalty Payments | Meigs County | Monroe County | Morgan County | Noble County | Ohio | Utica Shale | Washington County (OH)

Encore Energy to Anadarko: We’ve Got OH Land for You
February 14, 2013February 14, 2013

A for-profit company that pools acreage from both landowners that want to lease their land, and from energy companies with leases who want to re-sell those leases, is trying to get the attention of Anadarko and other drillers in the Ohio Utica Shale. Encore Energy issued a press release yesterday announcing they have land available for lease. They specifically tap Anadarko on the shoulder to tell them they have 1,300 Utica Shale acres “just 3 miles” from land they’re already drilling on in Washington County, OH.

Encore is shopping more than 18,000 acres across a number of Ohio counties, including Morgan, Washington, Noble, Guernsey, Monroe, Athens and Meigs. Here’s their “hey Anadarko, pay attention” press release:

Read More “Encore Energy to Anadarko: We’ve Got OH Land for You”
Energy Services | Harrison County | Industrywide Issues | MarkWest Energy | Monroe County | Ohio | Pipelines | Processing Plants | Statewide OH

Cash Runs Low – MarkWest Floats $150M Loan in Utica Midstream JV
February 6, 2013February 6, 2013

At the end of 2011, MarkWest Energy and The Energy & Minerals Group (EMG) announced that MarkWest was buying out EMG’s share in a 3-year-old joint venture deal in the wet gas portion of the Marcellus Shale called MarkWest Liberty Midstream. EMG owned a 49% stake in that JV (see MarkWest Pays $1.8B to Buy Out JV Partner in Liberty Midstream). At the time of the buyout, the two companies announced they would form a new JV to build midstream infrastructure in the Utica Shale starting in 2012.

The new Utica JV (called MarkWest Utica EMG) ramped up in early 2012 as the pair set out to duplicate their success in building out the Marcellus in the fledgling Utica. The strategy? “Creating a large network of processing complexes connected through an extensive NGL gathering system,” which they immediately began to do by beginning construction on two new processing complexes in Harrison and Monroe counties in Ohio (see MarkWest to Expand/Build NGL Plants on New Agreements). Just one tiny problem: the Utica JV is now running short on cash…

Read More “Cash Runs Low – MarkWest Floats $150M Loan in Utica Midstream JV”