Pennsylvania shale production up, led by Washington County
December 19, 2018
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.