Marcellus Shale - Gas Wells

February 28

Encana to cease operations in Luzerne County

By Matt Hughes mhughes@timesleader.com
Staff Writer   |   Matt Hughes on Facebook   |   @TLMattHughes on Twitter

The only company to drill Marcellus Shale gas wells in Luzerne County will soon pull out of the region.

Encana Oil & Gas USA Inc. announced Thursday its conclusion the two exploratory wells it has drilled in the county are unlikely to produce natural gas in commercial quantities, and it has, as a result, decided to immediately cease operations in Luzerne and Colombia counties.

Encana and its partner company, Whitmar Exploration Company, have leased 25,000 acres in Luzerne County and drilled two exploratory wells, the Buda 1H well in Fairmount Township just off state Route 118 near Ricketts Glen State Park on property owned by Edward Buda and the Salansky 1H well off Zosh Road in Lake Township on property owned by Amy and Paul Salansky.

The company began completions operations at the Salansky well site, which included hydraulically fracturing a portion of the well, Nov. 10.

“We recently conducted a fracture stimulation, followed by a production test of the Salansky 1H well, which confirmed our initial findings,” Encana Land Group Lead Kit Akers said in a letter mailed to leaseholders Wednesday. “Therefore, … we have decided to discontinue all activity in the area immediately.”

Akers said Encana its partner Whitmar will not extend leases signed in Luzerne and Columbia County. Encana and Whitmar have leased more than 25,000 acres in Luzerne County, primarily in the Back Mountain.




 

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