This week, Energy in Depth attended the Stark County Oil & Gas Partnership’s flagship event.  “Choose Stark County” featured key industry leaders to update the community on the oil and gas industry’s presence and potential opportunities in Stark County.  More than 250 attended the business to business networking opportunity and listened to speakers including Canton Mayor William J. Healy and Chesapeake Energy‘s Keith Fuller.

The Stark County Oil and Gas Partnership is a coalition made up of local governments, chambers of commerce, labor, education, development groups, and employment organizations.  Each having a different role to play but each connected through shale development inside and outside of Stark County. This model should set an example to other counties in Ohio that when parties work together to achieve a common goal the entire area will benefit.  The group works to promote a complete understanding of the oil and gas industry, safe and responsible production of resources, and encourages the use of Stark County residents and businesses.

Keith Fuller, Senior Director of Government Affairs for Chesapeake, provided an update on their development activities.  He commented on the possible longevity of the Utica/Point Pleasant Shale play in Ohio by explaining that if they explore all of their  leased acres in Ohio, Chesapeake will be looking at 20-30 years of development.

It took a while to convince people the Utica was real. But if you look around this room, you can see they believe it now. Companies are coming here and hiring people, so embrace it. It is early, but we are here to stay. We need to drill safely and responsibly and be a part of the community.-Keith Fuller, Senior Director of Government Affairs for Chesapeake (Stark County Looking to Lure More Oil and Gas Work, 1/31/13)

He also noted their connection to Stark County. Currently, Chesapeake and their subsidiaries are in six different locations, but soon will be under one roof in their official Ohio headquarters in Louisville.

READ THE REST AND WATCH BP VIDEO: http://www.eidohio.org/stark-county-oil-gas-partnership-hosts-flags...