Ohio oil and gas activity has hit a milestone, recording more than 2,000 permits to drill in the state's Utica shale play.

State regulators have issued 2,002 permits to horizontally drill in the state, Ohio Department of Natural Resources data show.

That's an increase of more than 500 permits from last August, when oil and gas prices were much higher than today. Just 21 drilling rigs are operating in Ohio today, down from 45 rigs a year ago.

ODNR issued six permits last week: Three to PDC Energy Inc. (NYSE:PDC) in Washington County and three to Hess Corp. (NYSE:HESS) in Harrison County.

This time last year, regulators issued 20 drilling permits.

Denver-based PDC has suspended its drilling operations this year, but has seen promising results from wells it has already drilled in Ohio.

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/ohio-energy-inc/2015/09/oh...