Natural gas production up in Ohio

Recently, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources released data on oil and gas production in the state. The numbers point to strengthening natural gas production in the state.

According to the data, 372 billion cubic feet in natural gas was reported produced in the state in 2017’s first quarter. This is an increase of 13 percent, as compared to the same quarter from the prior year.

The numbers point to Belmont County having been a major area of natural gas production in the state in 2017’s opening months. Reportedly, over 40 percent of natural gas production in the state in first quarter 2017 came from this county.

The numbers also indicate that natural gas is seeing a different trend than oil when it comes to production in the state lately. While natural gas saw a year-over-year increase in production in 2017’s first quarter, oil saw a year-over-year decrease (a 29 percent drop).

One wonders what 2017 as a whole will end up looking like when it comes to natural gas production in Ohio. One also wonders what impacts the recent upward trend in such production will have on the state and its landowners.

Sometimes, in their efforts to expand production, natural gas companies will bring proposals to landowners to perform extraction operations on their land. Such arrangements can present opportunities to homeowners. However, when care isn’t taken when it comes to the negotiation of such arrangements, it can result in a landowner losing out on key rights and ending up in a situation that isn’t actually serving their best interests. So, when engaging in any negotiations related to natural gas when it comes to their property, it can be crucial for a landowner to have a skilled oil and gas lawyer on their side to look out for their rights and interests.

Source: The Columbus Dispatch, “Ohio natural-gas production continued rise in first quarter as oil numbers fell,” Dan Gearino, June 9, 2017