Marcellus Shale - Gas Wells

October 28, 2010

Data: NEPA gas wells among best in state

Wyoming County led the pack for average daily production, with its one and only well.

By Steve Mocarsky smocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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Natural gas production from Marcellus Shale wells in Northeastern Pennsylvania is among the best in the state and exceeds industry predictions, according to analyses of data recently released by the state.

The state Department of Environmental Protection last week posted raw data for Marcellus Shale gas production statewide on its website.

A review of the production numbers shows the top five counties in overall natural gas production from July 2009 through June 2010 were Bradford, Susquehanna, Washington, Tioga and Greene.

The top five for average daily gas production per well were Wyoming, Bradford, Tioga, Susquehanna and Clinton.

Wyoming County led the pack for average daily production, with its one and only well producing an average of 10 million cubic feet of gas per day over 22 days in the reporting period. But industry experts note wells produce the most gas at the very beginning of the production phase.

Of the five counties Susquehanna was the one with the most wells producing as June 30, with 91.

The other four counties with the highest per-day production average produced between 2 million and 3 million cubic feet per day, per well.

And according to an analysis by Penn State professor of geosciences Terry Engelder, production data indicates industry predictions for gas production in the Marcellus Shale from more than a year ago will be exceeded in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Engelder could not be reached for comment last week.

DEP Secretary John Hanger last week announced preliminary production data for Marcellus Shale wells in the state is available online for the first time, offering more transparency for the public.

Under Act 15 of 2010, Marcellus operators were required to report their well production totals from July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2010, by Aug. 15.

“Gov. Rendell signed legislation in March that does away with provisions in the Oil and Gas Act that required production data to be kept confidential for five years, removing a much-criticized layer of secrecy and giving the public and government unprecedented access to this information,” Hanger said.

“This action modernizes our data collection and reporting processes and gives the public and policymakers a clear picture of how much natural gas is being generated by the rapidly growing Marcellus Shale industry,” he said.

According to DEP, 18 of the state’s 74 Marcellus Shale operators had yet to submit the required information as of Sept. 7. Hanger has said the department will pursue whatever enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance with the law.

Production information for 632 operating natural gas wells is included in the report. Statewide all the wells included in the report produced a total of almost 180 billion cubic feet of natural gas last fiscal year.

Hanger added that, beginning Nov. 1, the public will be able to search all oil and natural gas production data statewide, including historic production data, and will be able to track how much drilling waste and wastewater is being generated at drilling sites.

Under Act 15, all other oil and gas production besides Marcellus wells must be reported annually.

The report currently online also includes drilling waste and wastewater production for each natural gas well.

DEP information specialist Jamie Legenos said the website database that will go live on Nov. 1 will be “much more user friendly” than navigating the current report.

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