Abstract
Development Paper District 20 includes Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
In Maryland, 2 gas storage wells were drilled in Accident field, Garrett County. Total new footage drilled was 15,624. Gas production from Garrett County fields (75,831 Mcf) decreased 21% from the 1978 production.
In Ohio, drilling operations increased 31.3% in 1979 compared with the previous year. The number of drilling operations (3,532) is the highest ever recorded in drilling statistics that date back to 1918. A total of 3,443 new wells was drilled for oil and gas resulting in 1,097 gas, 251 oil, 1,927 combination oil and gas, and 168 dry holes—a success rate of 95.1 %. A total of 206 exploratory wells (up 119 from last year) was included in the total. The most active target was the Lower Silurian “Clinton-Medina” sandstone with 2,680 wells, 2,588 of which were successful (96.6%). An additional 511 wells were drilled to the Berea Sandstone, 486 of which were productive (95.1%). Total new footage drilled was 12,895,277, up 25.9% from 1978. Oil production for the year was 11,952,595 bbl, up 7.2%, and gas production was 124,665,234 Mcf, up 8.2%.
Pennsylvania’s drilling activity increased 11% in 1979 compared with the previous year. A total of 1,941 wells was drilled, including 1,043 gas, 757 oil, 6 combination oil and gas, 84 service, and 51 dry holes, a success rate of 97%. The overall increase in drilling was attributed to a 36% increase in oil well completions and a 300% increase in oil-related service wells. The number of gas wells decreased 6% and combination wells decreased 60%. Total new footage drilled in 1979 was 4,832,383, up 5% from 1978. Exploratory drilling (69 wells) decreased 29% in 1979 compared with the previous year. of the 69 wells, 54 were successful (78.3%), and included 22 gas discoveries and 1 oil discovery. Total exploratory footage (286,410) was down 24% from 1978. Oil production (2,816,682 bbl) was 3,060 bbl below last year, and gas production (96, 313 MMcf) decreased 1% during 1979.
Drilling activity in Virginia decreased slightly during 1979 with 24 new wells drilled and 1 old well deepened, representing a 20% decrease from the previous year’s new-well total of 30. of the 24 new wells drilled, 18 were completed as producers and 6 were dry holes, representing a success rate of 75%. The one OWDD was completed as a producer in a deeper zone. Exploratory drilling had 3 of 4 wells completed as producers for a 75% success rate, and development drilling had 15 of 20 wells completed as producers for a 75% success rate. Sixteen of the new wells and the 1 OWDD were completed as gas wells in the Mississippian Max-on, Ravencliffe, and Berea sandstones, the Mississippian Greenbrier Limestone (Big Lime), and the Devonian shale. Two of the new wells were completed with oil production in the Middle Ordovician Trenton Limestone. Total footage drilled amounted to 104,023, including 1,878 ft of deeper drilled footage. This total represents a decrease of 43,697 ft or 29.5% from the previous year. Development drilling totaled 78,538 ft with an average of 3,833 ft per well and exploratory footage totaled 25,501 with an average of 6,375 ft per well. Production of natural gas in Virginia totaled 8,543,810 Met from 258 wells of 8 companies in 5 counties, which represented an increase of 51,993 Mcf or 0.06% over the previous year. Crude oil production continued to increase during 1979 with a total of 3,658 bbl produced from 7 wells of 4 companies in the Rose Hill and Ben Hur fields of Lee County. This represented an increase of 1,268 bbl or 53% over the production of the previous year. Drilling and production are expected to increase somewhat in 1980.
Total well completions in West Virginia increased 10.9% from 1978 to 1979, with 1,614 wells reported. Exploratory completions (137), however, decreased 20.8%. The more active programs again concentrated on lower Chemung and Brallier sandstones in the old Benson trend, and on deep Oriskany tests along the Allegheny Front. Deep drilling decreased slightly (8.1%) but 2 significant Oriskany successes were drilled along the “Eastern overthrust.” Brown-Lumber-port was the most active gas field and Griffithsville the most active oil field. Total footage drilled was 5, 245,327, up 7.9%. An additional 155,178 ft was drilled in 51 wells for gas storage or enhanced oil recovery. Oil production (2,406,000 bbl) increased 5.6% and gas (150,505 MMcf) decreased 2.6%.
