Is Ashtabula High Risk Area???

For the life of me I could not figure out why no one has yet to drill horizontally in Ashtabula Co. when  the maps show it a good area.

Been doing a lot of reading on the internet and came across this article from March 2002 in the Geotimes.

http://www.geotimes.org/mar02/NN_quakes.html I'm just wondering if this is why there hasn't been any drilling in Ashtabula? Is Ashtabula high risk for this type of deep drilling? I hope this isn't the case but after reading this it kind of makes me wonder.

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Permalink Reply by deer spotter on July 19, 2014 at 5:30am

I have seen this happen in northwest PA. Midina wells drilled deeper than the Marcellus. The frac migrated to the Midina wells. Had to stop the frac and plug Midina wells. Then frac the last stages of the Marcellus well.

Permalink Reply by Joseph-Ohio on July 19, 2014 at 6:14am
Thanks for the info.
Permalink Reply by Joseph-Ohio on July 19, 2014 at 6:14am
Thanks for the info.
Permalink Reply by Joseph-Ohio on July 20, 2014 at 1:04am

ji and deer spotter,

I guess you fellas mean damage to the 'production string pipe' since it's also written above that there is no 'casing pipe' or 'cement' through the Utica (just the 'production string pipe').

Permalink Reply by ji on July 20, 2014 at 8:52am
Regulations have changed but as I recall production casing ( not string...sorry) on older conventional wells is only cemented at top of target formation and (hope fully) where upper oil, brine and gas formations may be present. No intermediate casing just surface casing which is cemented Back to surface. So there are intervals of uncemented borehole around production casing in the Utica and other potential tight shale oil and gas formations.
Permalink Reply by Joseph-Ohio on July 20, 2014 at 9:51am

I think I got it.

It sounds like there's no telling where any (older) gas / oil well vertical (passing through the Utica) may be jeopardized by a new Utica frac. operation (or any interval being frac'd. anywhere and not just in Ashtabula County).

Thanks ji.

Permalink Reply by deer spotter on July 20, 2014 at 11:21am

J-O The damage  was not to the Midina wells. Could not get pressure to frac the Marcellus do to the migration of the frac into the Midina wells.The Midina wells are a sandstone formation between the Marcellus and Utica here in northwest PA. Appox. 5000'.

Permalink Reply by Joseph-Ohio on July 20, 2014 at 11:34am

OK, so you found loss of frac. pressure to be the problem (until your outfit plugged the Medina wells).


Then it was ji who expressed concern about damage (to the 'uncemented production pipe' or 'uncemented production casing').


Thanks men.

Permalink Reply by pg guy on July 21, 2014 at 1:35am

Spelling award to J-O for "Medina".  The Medina in PA and NY is the equivalent of the Clinton in OH.  Thousands of Medina wells drilled for gas in western NY and NW PA, gets quite shallow near Buffalo, NY, maybe 2000 ft?

Permalink Reply by ji on July 21, 2014 at 5:16am
Damage to cement around pipe more than pipe itself. If gas is not high pressure it may stay in the annular between production and surface casing if it is it could cause problem to surface casing. There was a well in ashtabula that was selling gas off from the annular. Better than flairing I guess. Best to release pressure.
Permalink Reply by Joseph-Ohio on July 22, 2014 at 4:18am

Based on all I've read, FWIW, my humble opinion is that Ashtabula County's earthquake risk (due to Utica Point Pleasant development) would be no greater than any other similar County's risk as I don't believe Ashtabula County is defined as being in an earthquake prone zone for one big reason.

Also IMHO and FWIW, the concern over hydrocarbon migration into other nearby shallower or deeper bores and / or damage to nearby gas and / or oil  wells / production casings due to pressurizing and fracturing the Utica Point Pleasant to me  poses no greater or lesser risk than has been taken and addressed elsewhere in the play.

Also IMHO and FWIW, damage to private domestic water wells / reservoirs / aquifers due to the fracturing processes is of greatest concern and that eventuality can't  / shouldn't be permitted to occur and always needs to be precluded from occurring.

Permalink Reply by ji on July 22, 2014 at 4:36am
Industrial injection did cause significant earthquake from Reserve Environmental a couple decades ago in Kingsville ohio. Probably want to Stay away from there. however, only one that seem to be of concern. There are many salT water injection wells in Ashtabula county. No earthquake problem. they could be limited in capacity though. another interesting note from deer spotter was that the Medina is lower than the Marcellus in Pa/NY which is correct. Just like rose run is to Utica. Another is that there are thousands. That correct also. What do they do in Pa about this because you dont hear to much about this causing problem (except deer spotter). I might dig into that one a little deeper.

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