Pennsylvania shale production up, led by Washington County

Ethan Lott
Pittsburgh Business Times

Through the first three quarters of 2018, shale gas production in Pennsylvania increased by 12.9 percent over 2017 production, led by huge gains in Washington County.

Washington County produced more than 862 million McF of natural gas in the first nine months of 2018, an increase of 184.4 million McF, a 27.2 percent jump. In total, 36 percent of the statewide increase in production was due to Washington County growth. Washington County's 1,493 active wells during the year was tops among all counties.

Susquehanna County was also up by nine figures, growing production by 102.9 million McF to just more than 1 billion McF with 1,352 active wells, according to analysis of data released by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

In all, 33 counties had shale gas production and 34 did not. Nine counties had more than 100 million McF in production through nine months of 2018.

Potter County had the most growth percentage-wise, at 130 percent. Allegheny County was second for percentage growth, at 54 percent, moving it past Fayette County for overall production.

The number of wells producing more than 1 million McF through nine months of 2018 increased by 10 percent to 1,096, from 962 during the first three quarters of 2017. Susquehanna, Washington, Bradford and Greene counties all had more than 100 wells producing more than 1 million McF.