Ohio has been producing oil and gas for over 150 years. The state was one of the earliest oil producers in the country, with production beginning in the 1860s — just a few years after Edwin Drake's famous well in Pennsylvania. Today, Ohio is experiencing a new boom thanks to the Utica Shale, which lies beneath eastern Ohio at depths of 6,000 to 9,000 feet.
What Is the Utica Shale?
The Utica Shale is an ancient marine rock formation deposited about 450 million years ago. It lies below the Marcellus Shale and is found across much of the Appalachian Basin. In eastern Ohio, the Utica Shale is especially productive. It produces natural gas, natural gas liquids (like ethane and propane), and some oil, depending on the depth and location of the well. Deeper wells tend to produce more dry gas, while shallower areas produce more liquids.
The Clinton Sandstone Legacy
Before the shale boom, Ohio was best known for the Clinton Sandstone, a conventional formation that produced oil and gas from thousands of vertical wells across the central and eastern parts of the state. Many of these old Clinton wells are still producing today. The combination of old conventional fields and new shale development makes Ohio's geology particularly interesting for exploration.
How Much Does Ohio Produce?
Ohio produces roughly 20,000 to 25,000 barrels of oil per day and a significant amount of natural gas — around 2 billion cubic feet per day from the Utica and Marcellus shales. The gas production in particular has grown dramatically over the past decade as shale drilling expanded across the eastern counties.
Who Regulates Ohio Wells?
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) — Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management oversees drilling permits, production reporting, and well plugging. Ohio has one of the largest inventories of orphan wells in the country — old abandoned wells that were drilled before modern regulations required proper plugging. The ODNR manages a program to locate and plug these wells. Public data is available at ohiodnr.gov.