Unconventional Utica activity was in full swing in late 2011, and by early 2013 the area had several high-flow completions.

One of the first big discoveries in 2011 was Chesapeake Operating Inc.’s #8H Buell. Chesapeake drilled 12 horizontal wells in the wet-gas and dry-gas phases of the play. In Harrison County, Ohio, #8H Buell had a peak flow rate of 9.5 million cu. ft. of gas and 1,425 bbl. of oil and natural gas liquids per day. A Beaver County, Pa., discovery, #3H Thompson, had a peak rate of 6.4 million cu. ft. of gas per day.

In 2012 and 2013, PDC Energy and Gulfport Energy had numerous discoveries in Ohio’s Harrison and Carroll counties. Gulfport’s #1H Wagner Unit initially produced 17.1 million cu. ft. of gas and 432 bbl. of condensate per day. PDC’s #42-3H Detweiler was tested at a peak rate of 2,197 bbl. of oil equivalent per day.

From a common drill pad in Noble County, Ohio, Rex Energy Corp. had three significant producers. The #2H Guernsey had a peak 24-hour rate of 3,111 bbl. of oil equivalent per day. The #1H Guernsey tested at a peak rate of 2,968 bbl. of oil equivalent daily. The #1H Noble had a peak 24-hour rate of 2,938 bbl. of oil equivalent per day (41% NGLs, 45% gas, 14% condensate).

1 PDC Energy Corp. - 04/15/13

A horizontal Utica shale well in Canton Consolidated Field was completed by PDC Energy Corp. in Guernsey County, Ohio. The #42-3H Detweiler was tested at a peak rate of 2,197 bbl. of oil equivalent per day on a 20/64-in. choke. The flow test was conducted following a 60-day resting period. Based upon composition analysis, the gas being produced is 1,263-Btu rich gas. Assuming full ethane recovery with a gas shrink of 21%, the composition mix is 49% condensate, 26% gas liquids and 25% residue gas, according to PDC. The horizontal well was fractured in 13 stages and has a lateral length of 3,868 ft. Total depth is approximately 12,000 ft. About three miles south, the Denver-based company is active at a three-well pad. The first test, #1H Stiers, got under way in late January 2013 and the proposed total depth is 12,191 ft. Once drilling is complete on the Stiers pad, PDC plans to drill two horizontal wells in Ohio’s Washington County.

2 Rex Energy Corp. - 04/09/13

State College, Pa.-based Rex Energy Corp. completed three horizontal Utica shale wells from a drilling pad in Noble County, Ohio, with two of the wells bottoming three-quarters of a mile to the northwest in Guernsey County. A third Utica shale well (#1H Noble) bottomed three-quarters of a mile to the southeast in Noble County. The #2H Guernsey had a peak 24-hour rate of 3,111 bbl. of oil equivalent per day—39% natural gas liquids (NGLs), 43% gas and 18% condensate, assuming full ethane recovery and a gas shrink of 20%. The well was drilled to 12,097 ft. with a lateral length of 3,640 ft. and was completed in 23 stages. The #1H Guernsey tested at a peak rate of 2,968 bbl. of oil equivalent daily—39% NGLs, 43% gas, 18% condensate. The well was drilled to 11,963 ft. with a 3,587-ft. lateral and was completed in 23 stages. The #1H Noble was drilled to 11,740 ft. with a 3,378-ft. lateral. It was tested at a peak 24-hour rate of 2,938 bbl. of oil equivalent per day (41% NGLs, 45% gas, 14% condensate). The Warrior South prospect wells have been shut in since completion and will be placed into sales, which is expected in June. In mid-2013, the company plans to drill and complete additional wells at its J. Anderson well pad with a proposed average lateral length per well of 5,000 ft.

3 Gulfport Energy Corp. - 01/23/13

Oklahoma City-based Gulfport Energy Corp. reported results from two Utica/Point Pleasant discoveries in eastern Ohio. The #1-4H Clay was tested at a sustained 12-hour rate flowing 747 bbl. of condensate, 5.9 million cu. ft. of gas (1,258 Btu) and 761 bbl. of natural gas liquids (following a 75-day resting period). Assuming full ethane recovery and a natural gas shrink of 27%, the production is 2,226 bbl. of oil equivalent. According to IHS Inc., #1-4H Clay is in Piedmont 7.5 Quad, Section 4 of Harrison County, Freeport Township. The Canton Consolidated Field well had a planned depth of 16,724 ft. The second discovery, #1-14H Stutzman, is in Section 14, Somerset Township, Barnesville 7.5 Quad in Monroe County. According to Gulfport, #1-14H Stutzman was tested after a 12-day resting period at an average sustained four-hour rate flowing 21 million cu. ft. of gas. Based upon composition analysis, the gas being produced is 1,078 Btu. Assuming full ethane recovery, the composition is expected to produce an additional 45 bbl. of natural gas liquids per million cu. ft. of gas and result in a natural gas shrink of 11%. In ethane rejection mode, the composition is expected to yield 12 bbl. of natural gas liquids per million cu. ft. of gas with a gas shrink of 9%. The #1-14H Stutzman had a projected depth of 17,690 ft. and the true vertical depth was 9,020 ft. with an 8,634-ft. lateral. The Barnesville Consolidated Field well was projected to Point Pleasant.

4 PDC Energy Corp. - 01/15/13

A PDC Energy Corp. horizontal Utica well in Guernsey County, Ohio, tested at a peak rate of 1,796 bbl. of oil equivalent per day. The #14-25H Onega Commissioners is in Section 25 of Wills Township and was tested on a 26/64-in choke. According to the Denver-based company, the gas being produced is 1,254-Btu-rich gas. Assuming full ethane recovery with a natural gas shrink of 20%, the composition mix of the production is 56% condensate, 23% natural gas liquids and 21% residue gas. The 11,306-ft. well was completed from a 7,382-ft. pilot hole and has a lateral length of 3,950 ft. PDC fracture stimulated the producer with 13 stages. The company plans to drill additional wells from a three-well pad in Guernsey County in the first part of 2013 with two horizontal wells in Washington County to further delineate its 45,000-net-acre position in the Utica play.

5 Gulfport Energy Corp. - 12/04/12

Oklahoma City-based Gulfport Energy Corp. reported a new Utica producer in Harrison County, Ohio. According to the company, #1-12H Shugert was flow tested over 48 hours, reaching an average sustained 18-hour rate of 28.5 million cu. ft. of gas, 300 bbl. of condensate and 2,907 bbl. of natural gas liquids per day. The well was flow-tested for 48 hours after a 60-day resting period. Gauged on a 32/64-in. choke, the flowing casing pressure was 4,208 psi. Before testing, the 12-hour wellhead shut in casing pressure was 5,250 psi. The gas being produced is 1,204 Btu. Assuming full ethane recovery, the composition above is expected to produce an additional 102 bbl. of natural gas liquids per million cu. ft. of gas with a gas shrink of 10% (7,482 bbl. of oil equivalent per day). In ethane rejection mode the composition is expected to yield 41 bbl. of natural gas liquids per million cu. ft. gas with a gas shrink of 2%. According to IHS Inc., the Barnesville Consolidated Field horizontal test was drilled to 12,641 ft. from a 7,520-ft. pilot hole Section 12 of Warren Township and the projected depth was 15,683 ft.

6 Gulfport Energy Corp. - 11/14/12

A Harrison County, Ohio, Utica/Point Pleasant discovery by Gulfport Energy Corp. was tested at a gross peak rate of 6.9 million cu. ft. of gas and 1,224 bbl. of condensate per day. The #1-16H BK Stephens is in Section 16 of Moorefield Township. The venture was drilled to 7,250 ft. with a 5,276-ft. lateral and the true vertical depth is 8,225 ft. According to Gulfport, the gas being produced is 1,207 Btu. Assuming full ethane recovery, the well is expected to produce an additional 110 bbl. of natural gas liquids per 1 million cu. ft. of gas. Gulfport’s #2-16H BK Stephens is scheduled to be drilled from roughly the same surface location as #1-16H BK Stephens, and is expected to bottom about 1.5 miles to the northwest beneath Section 24. Oklahoma City-based Gulfport also plans to drill #1-28H Stout in Section 28 to a proposed depth of 13,800 ft. According to IHS Inc., Gulfport has budgeted up to $225 million to drill approximately 50 gross wells in the play in 2013.

7 Gulfport Energy Corp. - 09/18/12

Gulfport Energy Corp. reported that #1H Wagner Unit in Harrison County, Ohio, was tested at a peak rate of 17.1 million cu. ft. of gas and 432 bbl. of condensate daily through an unreported set of perforations in Utica shale. Gas production from the horizontal well is expected to stabilize at 10 million cu. ft. per day. The well is Section 28 of the Athens Township and was drilled to 16,660 ft. with a permitted true vertical depth of 8,729 ft. According to the company, the thickness of the Point Pleasant member of Utica appears constant and thick across the company’s acreage. In the eastern Ohio portion of the play, Gulfport has 125,000 gross (62,500 net) acres currently under lease.

8 Chesapeake Operating Inc. – 11/1/11

Chesapeake Operating Inc. of Oklahoma City reported results on its Utica shale exploration program in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Chesapeake drilled 12 horizontal wells in the wet-gas and dry-gas phases of the play and is still evaluating the oil phase. In Harrison County, Ohio, #8H Buell had a peak flow rate of 9.5 million cu. ft. of gas and 1,425 bbl. of oil and natural gas liquids per day. The well has a lateral length of 6,418 ft. In Carroll County, #8H Mangun flowed at a peak rate of 3.1 million cu. ft. of gas and 1,015 bbl. per day of liquids. It was drilled to a lateral length of 6,231 ft. In Carroll County, #3H Neider had a peak rate of 3.8 million cu. ft. of gas and 980 bbl. of liquids per day. It has a lateral length of 4,152 ft. In Beaver County, Pa., #3H Thompson had a peak rate of 6.4 million cu. ft. of gas per day. It was drilled to a lateral length of 4,322 ft. The remaining eight Utica shale wells are being completed.