OH Passes Bill (Now Law) to Encourage More Gas-Fired Power Plants
In February, MDN told you about a proposed new bill in Ohio, House Bill (HB) 15, which makes significant changes to state energy policy to encourage the development of more in-state electric generation by making it easier (and more cost-effective) to build gas-fired power (see OH Legislators, New Bill, Encourage More Gas-Fired Power Plants). The bill aims to boost power generation, specifically dispatchable power, in Ohio while improving affordability for ratepayers and increasing reliability within the state’s electrical grid. HB 15 supports market forces in the energy sector, removes barriers to new electricity generation development in Ohio, and protects ratepayers from unnecessary costs. On April 30, the Ohio legislature voted to pass HB 15. It didn’t take Republican Governor Mike DeWine long to sign it into law. Read More “OH Passes Bill (Now Law) to Encourage More Gas-Fired Power Plants”
Rover Pipeline, a 713-mile natural gas pipeline, was designed to carry up to 3.25 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of Marcellus and Utica gas from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio to destinations in Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia, and Canada. The project was completed and came online in late 2018 (see 
One of the significant stories of 2024 in the Ohio Utica was about Austin Master Services (AMS), a radiological waste management solutions company in Martins Ferry, Ohio, that handles fracking waste by transporting it for disposal. AMS ran into trouble when it ran out of money. The Martins Ferry facility in Belmont County, where waste is temporarily stored, had exceeded its permitted maximum of 600 tons of stored waste, resulting in a violation of its permit. The Ohio Attorney General’s office filed a lawsuit against the company in March 2024 to force compliance and to force the cleanup of the facility. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) stepped in to do the cleanup work. As of today, cleaning and testing are done. 
Columbia Gas Transmission LLC won its bid for a quick win against Ohio landowners in Hocking County, Ohio, who claimed the company breached certain agreements when deciding to plug a gas well. A federal judge granted summary judgment to Columbia because the landowners failed to show how the company didn’t follow its responsibilities outlined in the relevant lease. We have a copy of the full decision and a summary of it below. 
The Baker Hughes U.S. rig count dropped like a rock last week, down 10 rigs to its lowest level since November 2021. It is the first time the count has slumped for four consecutive weeks since 2024. On a happier note, the combined Marcellus/Utica count rose by two rigs to 37 active rigs. However, there was a change between the plays (and states) in the M-U. The Pennsylvania Marcellus lost one rig, now at 17 rigs, while the Ohio Utica picked up two rigs, now at 12 rigs. West Virginia remained the same with eight active rigs. 
For the week of May 12 – 18, the number of permits issued to drill new wells in the Marcellus/Utica was up five from the previous week. Last week, 31 new permits were issued in the M-U. In the Keystone State (PA), seven new permits were issued. The top permittee was Range Resources, which was issued four permits in Washington County. Seneca Resources scored two permits in two different counties: Elk and Tioga. PennEnergy Resources received a single permit in Butler County. 
Yesterday, the first of what will no doubt be many such events, the Appalachian AI Energy Conference (sponsored by Shale Directories) was held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Pittsburgh/Southpointe. Event speakers explored why Appalachia is uniquely suited to meet AI’s massive energy needs. CNX’s VP of sustainable development, Brent Bobsein, spoke about the region’s “massive opportunity.” 
The Marcellus/Utica region is the United States’ top natural gas production area, accounting for about one-third of the country’s daily output. Natural gas production in the M-U has soared from 2 Bcf/d (billion cubic feet per day) to over 33 Bcf/d today in the past 15 years. Growth has slowed in recent years due to pipeline constraints, but new pipeline projects, rising Gulf Coast LNG demand, and in-basin data center development could drive a resurgence. Despite past challenges like canceled pipelines and a focus on the Permian, our region’s vast potential and improving infrastructure suggest a breakout, according to RBN Energy. However, low gas prices and regulatory hurdles remain big concerns, though data centers and LNG exports could boost demand significantly. 
EOG Resources, one of the largest oil and gas drillers in the U.S. (with international operations in Trinidad and China), owns nearly half a million acres of leases in the Ohio Utica (~460,000 acres). EOG calls its position the “Ohio Utica combo play” and considers it one of the company’s “premium” and “emerging” plays. EOG concentrates on oil drilling in the Utica. During the company’s first quarter 2025 update in early May, we learned that EOG is cutting $200 million from its 2025 spending plan, believing Trump’s tariffs will lead to a slowdown in oil demand. However, the company is not cutting spending or work in the Utica. 
The U.S. national rig count lost two more rigs last week, going from 578 to 576, tying January 24th of this year as the lowest national rig count in the past 12 months. Rigs targeting the Marcellus layer remained the same with 25 rigs last week, while the Utica (in Ohio) picked up one rig and now operates 11 rigs for a combined total of 36. Pennsylvania was static with 18 rigs, Ohio moved up from nine to ten rigs, and West Virginia remained the same with eight rigs. 
Ascent Resources, founded as American Energy Partners by gas legend Aubrey McClendon, is a privately held company focusing 100% on the Ohio Utica Shale. Ascent, headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK, is Ohio’s largest natural gas producer and the 8th largest natural gas producer in the U.S. The company issued its first quarter 2025 update on May 7. 1Q25 net production averaged 2,002 MMcfe/d (2.0 Bcfe/d), consisting of 1,680 MMcf/d of natural gas, 13,833 bbls/d of oil, and 39,789 bbls/d of natural gas liquids (NGLs), putting liquids at 16% of the overall production mix for the quarter. 
Yesterday, MDN brought you the news that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is laying the blame for a series of low-level earthquakes in southeastern Ohio on fracking at a shale well in Noble County (see 
In December, MDN told you that the country’s largest electric grid, PJM Interconnection, which covers all or parts of 13 states, including PA, OH, and WV, proposed changes to how it decides which new power plants can connect to the system first. The new policy *favors* adding natural gas-fired power over other types of power like unreliable solar and wind (see 
Infinity Natural Resources (INR), headquartered in Morgantown, WV, focuses 100% on the Marcellus/Utica. The company went public earlier this year with a $265 million ($20/share) initial public offering, giving INR a $1.18 billion market capitalization (see