|
|
|
Although the Marcellus Shale hasn’t been tapped yet, Chemung and Steuben counties are the epicenter of natural gas production in New York, according to figures released this week by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
Chemung and Steuben ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the state, respectively, in natural gas production last year, according to a DEC report. Well operators are required to report production figures annually.
Chemung County led the state with 13.89 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas produced.
A single well – the Nowlan well operated by Chesapeake on Langdon Hill in the Town of Erin - produced 2.49 bcf in 2009, enough to heat more than 36,000 homes for a year, according to the DEC report.
Steuben County ranked a close second statewide, producing 12.32 bcf.
Chemung and Steuben combined for 26.21 bcf, more than half of the statewide total of 44.85 bcf.
The local production was mostly from the Trenton-Black River formation, which accounted for 60 percent of production statewide.
The statewide gas production total of 44.85 bcf was the sixth-highest total ever, and was enough to heat 650,000 homes for a year, according to the DEC.
However, last year’s total marked an 11 percent drop from the 2008 total of 50.32 bcf and was 19 percent below the alltime high of 55.34, set in 2006. The drop is because of low natural gas prices, the DEC said.
The DEC issued 246 permits for new natural gas wells in 2009.
The permitting and production figures could skyrocket across the Southern Tier if and when energy companies began tapping unconventional sources such as the Marcellus Shale.
While a small number of vertical wells were drilled into the Marcellus Shale in the past, applications for higher-producing horizontal wells are on hold while the DEC finishes an environmental review of the highvolume hydraulic fracturing technique used to release gas from the shale formation.
At a glance
Top 10 Gas-producing
counties in N.Y. in 2009
(in cubic feet)
1. Chemung 13,890,161,000
2. Steuben 12,320,765,000
3. Chautauqua 6,473,408,000
4. Erie 2,364,862,000
5. Cattaraugus 1,615,243,000
6. Chenango 1,599,381,000
7. Seneca 1,450,148,000
8. Cayuga 1,068,846,000
9. Madison 951,077,000
10. Schuyler 816,884,000
Statewide total | 44,848,895,000
Source | DEC
Although the Marcellus Shale hasn’t been tapped yet, Chemung and Steuben counties are the epicenter of natural gas production in New York, according to figures released this week by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
Chemung and Steuben ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the state, respectively, in natural gas production last year, according to a DEC report. Well operators are required to report production figures annually.
Chemung County led the state with 13.89 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas produced.
A single well – the Nowlan well operated by Chesapeake on Langdon Hill in the Town of Erin - produced 2.49 bcf in 2009, enough to heat more than 36,000 homes for a year, according to the DEC report.
Steuben County ranked a close second statewide, producing 12.32 bcf.
Chemung and Steuben combined for 26.21 bcf, more than half of the statewide total of 44.85 bcf.
The local production was mostly from the Trenton-Black River formation, which accounted for 60 percent of production statewide.
The statewide gas production total of 44.85 bcf was the sixth-highest total ever, and was enough to heat 650,000 homes for a year, according to the DEC.
However, last year’s total marked an 11 percent drop from the 2008 total of 50.32 bcf and was 19 percent below the alltime high of 55.34, set in 2006. The drop is because of low natural gas prices, the DEC said.
The DEC issued 246 permits for new natural gas wells in 2009.
The permitting and production figures could skyrocket across the Southern Tier if and when energy companies began tapping unconventional sources such as the Marcellus Shale.
While a small number of vertical wells were drilled into the Marcellus Shale in the past, applications for higher-producing horizontal wells are on hold while the DEC finishes an environmental review of the highvolume hydraulic fracturing technique used to release gas from the shale formation.
At a glance
Top 10 Gas-producing
counties in N.Y. in 2009
(in cubic feet)
1. Chemung 13,890,161,000
2. Steuben 12,320,765,000
3. Chautauqua 6,473,408,000
4. Erie 2,364,862,000
5. Cattaraugus 1,615,243,000
6. Chenango 1,599,381,000
7. Seneca 1,450,148,000
8. Cayuga 1,068,846,000
9. Madison 951,077,000
10. Schuyler 816,884,000
Statewide total | 44,848,895,000
Source | DEC
