Hydraulic fracturing expected to increase in Ohio

  Ohio energy companies are expected to continue increasing their use of a process known as hydraulic fracturing, also known as "fracking", which allows energy companies to access the Marcellus and Utica Shale deposits, which contain natural gas and crude oil.

  The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) credits the increase in natural gas drilling in Ohio to technological advances in the drilling industry.

  "We still don't have many wells which have been brought into production, but we expect to continue to see an increase in both permitting and well construction," said ODNR Divisions of Mineral Resources and Oil and Gas Resources Management Communications Manager Heidi Hetzel-Evans. "It's because technology in recent years has allowed Utica Shale to be beneficial economically. Drilling, while it remains expensive, has become viable."

  Another reason fracking is becoming more popular in Ohio can be linked to the streamlined permit process that ODNR and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have created. Although ODNR's Division of Mineral Resources Management is the main regulatory body in relation to oil and gas drilling, the Ohio EPA helps to regulate air quality at the drilling sites after a well has been set up.

  Right now, the Ohio EPA's main goal in relation to oil and gas drilling is to standardize the permit process to make it simpler for drilling companies to get a permit, while also keeping track of the types of chemicals and equipment being used at the site in order to prevent environmental damage.

  "We're looking to control air pollution from the production," said Ohio EPA Media Contact Mike Settles. "Once the well has been drilled and fractured… that air permit would apply to that site once it would go into production. We're working on a similar general permit for water. We want these general permits in place so we can keep good tabs on what's going on at the site to keep track of these air pollutants."

  Although the general permit, which was developed in consultation with the drilling industry to make sure the permit accurately included the equipment that would be used at the drill sites, helps to standardize and simplify the process for drilling companies, companies that sites aren't consistent with other operations in Ohio must still apply for an individual permit.

  "An individual permit is much more detailed and the review of it is more detailed," said Settles.

  But, even with all of the advances made in Ohio, Ohio is still considered to be behind other states on oil and gas drilling and production.

  "We're about four years behind Pennsylvania and West Virginia, where we are today," said Hetzel-Evans.

  And, while it has pushed back Ohio's production and profit from natural gas drilling, the delay in Ohio may have helped to prevent some of the environmental concerns and issues that other states are now running into.

  "Ohio, in general, is more strict and stringent," said Hetzel-Evans. "We've learned from our sister states and strengthened our law about a year ago. In Ohio, there is no ground water contamination from hydraulic fracturing and we've been drilling for over 50 years."

  With around 66,000 active producing wells in Ohio, the violation rate for drilling companies is very low.

  "It's about three percent violation rate," said Hetzel-Evans. "We've had surface issues, but overall, Ohio has a very low incident of environmental violations."

  Due to the strict drilling regulations set up by ODNR's Division of Mineral Resources Management, Ohioans seem more confident in leasing out their land for oil and gas drilling.  

  The Ohio Department of Natural Resources does not regulate leasing in any way, but does encourage Ohio landowners to thoroughly research the drilling company and the terms of the lease before signing any agreement.

   In most cases, the drilling company sends a representative out to one or more landowners and asks them to sign a lease with their company to allow access to any shale deposits on the property.

  Ohio has two different types of mineral rights leases: development and non-development. Signing a development lease gives the drilling company access to the surface of the land in order to drill and operate a well; signing a non-development lease only gives the drilling company access to subsurface minerals.

  Whether it is a development or non-development lease, landowners are offered a percentage to lease their mineral rights and are then often guaranteed a portion of any profits as well as free gas, if it should be discovered.

  But, many landowners are still wary when approached by a drilling company representative.

  "You hear all those horror stories about people's water catching fire and getting really sick due to water contamination," said Ohio landowner James Shomaker, who recently sold his mineral rights to a drilling company. "I asked the drilling company representative if [drilling] would affect the water system and he guaranteed me it wouldn't. They are liable for the drinking water and everything. According to him, there's no way anything could happen to your water system."