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Posts tagged "Utica Shale"

Ohio’s Production Numbers Don’t Tell All

Friday, May 17th, 2013 | 0 Comments

After at least an extra month of guarded anticipation, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (DNR) finally released oil and gas production data on 86 wells producing from the Utica shale during 2012.  Oddly enough, an article from Reuters appearing in Friday’s papers dismisses the Utica play as a bust.  To quote the article written by Edward McAllister and Sabina Zawadzki:

“U.S. hopes for a new shale oil bonanza in Ohio, joining the prolific Bakken and Eagle Ford plays that have raised production to 20-year highs, were shattered on Thursday by the first hard evidence that the Utica formation was primarily gas-prone.

“Now, data from Ohio’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) showed that in 2012, the first full year of drilling, oil output amounted to only 636,000 barrels — about enough to fill a single small crude oil tanker. On average for the full year, output came to a mere 1,742 barrels a day (bpd) versus 780,000 bpd in North Dakota, where much of Bakken lies.”

The numbers reported to the DNR and discussed in the Reuters account would indicate that the 86 wells now producing are averaging approximately 20 barrels of oil per day.  It’s hard to argue with statistics, but it’s also important to understand that on the surface, these particular ones are very misleading.

For example, Chesapeake Energy reported production on 53 wells that averaged 77 BOPD and 2097 Mcfd.  The gas production rates are certainly substantial, even with only three wells being online for more than 300 days, but the oil production rates appear less than impressive.  However, no mention is made of natural gas liquids (NGLs) that are being recovered from the gas.  In fact, considerable NGLs are being recovered from the gas stream and are not reported as oil production to the state.  Similarly, nothing is mentioned as to how the wells are being produced. Notably, due to limited pipeline capacity (a condition that is only temporary, given massive buildouts already underway), many of these wells are being “choked back” until the product can actually be sent somewhere.

In fact, nearly $10 billion is being invested in Ohio’s midstream infrastructure to help bring the gas and entrained NGLs from these wells to market.  How will this impact the production from these same 86 wells going forward? No one knows for sure.  But it’s safe to say that the numbers will look better when this infrastructure is in place.

In the end, the raw production numbers reported to the state represent only a snapshot of what the industry is actually doing — and, more importantly, what it’s capable of doing.  No, the oil numbers are not as good as other, more mature plays, like the Eagle Ford in Texas. But the real question is, are the wells economic?  Can a company invest $5-9 million to drill and complete a well in the Utica shale and make a profit on its investment?  The most important numbers to a company are net present value and payout time — neither of which are reported to the State.

The Reuters report also compares the Bakken’s current production numbers to the Utica’s first year.  This is hardly a fair comparison.  I don’t know what the Bakken produced in its first year, but I can assure you it wasn’t 780,000 barrels of oil per day. Heck, back in the mid-1990s, the U.S. Geological Survey thought the Bakken only held about 151 million barrels of oil, a number they later had to upwardly revised by nearly 25-fold in 2008 after development began to take off.  The article does not state how many wells are responsible for that production either.

Personally, I like to compare apples to apples — not apples to airplanes.

I’m not throwing in the towel on Ohio production, and we know the companies operating here in Ohio aren’t either.  In fact, I’m celebrating the fact that the number of permits taken out at the DNR is steadily rising along with infrastructure development and production — which is great news for our economic future in this part of the country.

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OOGEEP Trains 1,000 Firefighters for Oil & Gas Industry

Wednesday, May 15th, 2013 | 0 Comments

The Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program (OOGEEP) firefighter training program reached a milestone recently when it trained its 1,000th firefighter to respond to an oilfield emergency.  Since 2000, firefighters from seven states have participated in the one-of-a-kind program which is funded entirely by revenues from Ohio’s oil and gas producers.

Source: OOGEEP

The training provides background information and practical guidelines to assist responders in communicating and evaluating a potential emergency site, and the capability to respond an unforeseen emergency.  OOGEEP even provide hands-on training including “live burns” utilizing crude oil and natural gas props.  One of the instructors for the program, Brent Gates, a Fire Chief and Ohio Certified Fire Instructor from New Concord, Ohio, explained the importance of hands-on training:

“This is by far one of the best training programs I have been involved in. The information and hands-on training we provide makes a difference to so many communities who are impacted by the development of oil and gas.”—Brent Gates

OOGEEP developed the training to prepare communities for possible emergencies and they believe the 13 year old program is part of the reason the state has a strong safety record in oil and natural gas production. OOGEEP’s executive director, Rhonda Reda, commented on the program’s success and how it could serve as a model for other states:

“Ohio citizens should be honored that many other energy producing regions have looked to Ohio as a model to set up similar safety programs in their respective states.”—Rhonda Reda

The training is endorsed by the Ohio Fire Chief’s Association, the Ohio Society of Fire Service Instructors and the Ohio Fire and Emergency Services Foundation.  The program provides each firefighter the opportunity to receive up to 12 CEU credit hours and an optional college graduate credit through Hocking College upon completion.

Charlie Dixon, lead fire instructor and OOGEEP’s safety and workforce administrator, explained how the program can benefit individual communities:

“Ohio has always been a leader in developing safety programs. While there have been very few natural gas and crude oil emergencies in Ohio, often times fire departments are often called to respond to non-emergency incidents simply because there is a lack of knowledge or unfamiliarity of equipment, standard practices, and advanced technologies used by Ohio’s industry. The fact is not all incidents reported are emergencies, and we are hopeful that this program will mitigate those types of reported incidents that could tie up community resources that may be needed elsewhere.”—Charlie Dixon

As Ohio’s oil and natural gas production increases its comforting knowing that innovative OOGEEP has already trained over 1,000 firefighters on how to handle unforeseen emergencies if they occur.  While incidents in Ohio’s oil and gas fields are rare, it’s comforting knowing that if an event occurs that the most courageous among us are armed with the best strategies and approaches in tackling this situation.

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Critics’ Concerns Over Pipelines Are Largely Unfounded

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013 | 1 Comment

As many of us in eastern Ohio have seen, there has been a tremendous amount of pipeline work happening in this portion of the state.  The pipelines are necessary due to the liquids-rich gas that the Utica Shale/Point Pleasant provides– liquids that include valuable products like butane, propane, ethane and pentane. These components are what make the Utica Shale so exciting, since they sell at a rate much higher than dry natural gas.  

In order to release these liquids from their gaseous state, the liquids must be processed at natural gas processing plants like the M3 project in Kensington and Scio, or the MarkWest plants in Cadiz and Noble County.  In order to deliver the “NGLs” to these facilities, companies in eastern Ohio have been putting in long hours to make sure the matrix of pipelines is able to handle the influx of liquids rich gas.  

In a recent Columbus Dispatch article, the reporter raised a few questions as to the safety and potential spills involved in these projects.  Of course, safety and the environment are two of the most important priorities within the oil and gas industry, and operators here in Ohio have gone to such great lengths to minimize impacts (remember, in the dozens of Utica wells in Ohio, there has not been a single environmental violation to date).

Moreover, the incidents to which the reporter referred were not what one would typically think of as “spills.” But before we get to that, it’s useful to provide a little background on pipeline construction.

In order to bore a pipeline under roads and waterways (which is actually the most environmentally friendly way to site a pipeline), a company must essentially use a directional drill rig.  As with all drill rigs, the operator must use drilling mud and drilling fluid to keep the bore moving along.  The drilling mud consists of 95 percent water and 5 percent bentonite clay.  The drilling mud helps wash away cuttings from the bore and eases the movement of the cutting head through the borehole.  Bentonite clay specifically forms a casing on the borehole walls, which prevents the drilling fluid from seeping out.  This is typically called a “filter cake,” making it the preferred drilling mud of operators.

In a few instances, however, this mud and water have made their way into a culvert or stream.  Unfortunately, when this happens, it can settle on top of aquatic life.  These spills are tightly regulated by the U.S. EPA — under the Clean Water Act, as per their Section 404 permits — and are remediated on the off chance that they do occur.  If a company fails to comply, it is also subject to stiff fines.  Thankfully, these spills are rare, do not consist of anything toxic, and do not threaten our drinking water supplies.

It should also be noted that this type of directional drilling is not unique to natural gas pipelines.  Utilities like water, sewer, electric, cable and telephone lines all use this type of practice to route themselves under roads, waterways and railroads. 

Pipelines in general — as with virtually any project — have a temporary construction phase.  Easements are excavated and the pipelines are laid.  Sections of pipeline may only take days to lay depending on the length of pipeline.  Once the pipeline is laid underground, the land is reclaimed and seeded — returning the ground to its natural state.  So when one argues that the pipelines are altering the countryside, these claims are by definition only looking at a snapshot in time — and they certainly aren’t including the fact that the reclamation and restoration is part of the process.

reclamation

Pipelines are nothing new to us in Ohio, or anywhere across the United States for that matter.  In fact, nearly 2.1 million miles of natural gas pipelines crisscross the country. To put that in perspective, if you laid 2.1 million miles of pipe end to end, you would have enough pipe to stretch to the moon and back — more than four times! Even more impressive? Most people couldn’t tell you where a pipeline is laid after it has been there for a couple months. Those targeting pipelines as some sort of eyesore are just looking for any reason possible to be against oil and gas development, no matter how silly their claims are. 

In terms of safety, pipelines are among the safest and most reliable form of transportation we have to deliver natural gas and natural gas liquids.  Even from the Columbus Dispatch article, a skeptic acknowledges that pipelines have also improved dramatically (“certainly better than they used to be,” according to a member of the group Carroll Concerned Citizens). Part of that improvement comes from what’s known as “inspection pigging,” which helps reduce leaks.

Inspection pigging is a process that cleans out pipelines while also performing a high tech inspection of pipelines from within.  When “pigging” a line, a device will travel through the pipeline and use two methods to gather information about the interior condition of the pipeline: magnetic flux leakage, and ultrasonics.  These methods send information back to the operator detailing thickness, imperfections, corrosion or possible leakage in the pipe.  With these real time details, pipeline operators know when and exactly where to replace pipe to ensure leakage is averted.  Pigging is done routinely throughout the life of the pipeline, keeping the chance of leakage to a minimum.

The bottom line? Pipelines are a necessary and proven way to transport our natural gas.  While we may see new pipelines being built, we know these rights of way will only be noticeable until the seeding on the ground begins to sprout, making the right of way disappear into the neighboring fields.  We also know they are safe, thanks in large part to innovations allowing companies to get real time information to ensure structural integrity. 

Pipelines are nothing new, and the folks who oppose oil and gas development still oppose it in all of its forms. Thankfully, the facts also remain the facts, and they still tell a completely different story than what opponents would have us believe.

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Marlington High School Trains Students for the Oil & Gas Industry

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013 | 0 Comments

UPDATE (5/7/13 11:00 am ET): In the six months since Energy In Depth’s first visit to Marlington High School‘s Gas and Oil Technology Program, the class has garnered statewide attention.  The flagship program led by instructor Bob Givens has received support from Governor John Kasich, hosted visits from big names in oil and gas, and even recently gave students a special opportunity with their local state representative.

For example, students met Representative Christina Hagan at an Ohio ACTE event at the statehouse earlier this year.  Hagan, a Marlington High School alum, told students she always wanted to learn how to operate a bulldozer, so the students invited her up to learn just that.  John Deere donated the class a bulldozer for two weeks, and Rep. Hagan returned to Marlington to learn from the students.  After a quick lesson, Hagan looked like a professional:

Givens explained that not only did students get to meet their state representative, but the experience gave them an opportunity to show that they understand the significance of what they’re learning.  He encourages the students to teach others so that in a future job interview, they can fully explain their experience and knowledge, both of which have been gained in and out of the classroom.  The students have visited well sites, trade shows, and welding facilities to get first hand experience, and two students were given the opportunity to job shadow on a well site for a full day.  Senior Alex Hatfield chatted with Energy In Depth about his experience:

“It’s big time…it shows me places to go, what opportunities there are. It’s going to help me big time in the future.” –Alex Hatfield (:37)

With Ohio’s shale industry growing rapidly, more jobs will need to be filled.  Students like those at Marlington High School are getting a jump start toward the opportunities changing the state’s economic landscape.

- Original Post from December 4, 2012 -

Throughout the past three months, Marlington High School in Alliance has caught the eye of Ohio media for leading the way in vocational education. To name a few, the Canton Repository, Akron Beacon Journal, Alliance Review, and Farm and Dairy have covered the school’s Gas and Oil Technology Program.  While many of the articles have focused on the senior class, EID was invited to visit the program’s junior class that will participate in the program a full two years.  12 juniors and 10 seniors enrolled in Ohio’s first oil and gas technology program.

Instructor Bob Givens explained that the program will give students a head start in the industry by learning basic mechanical training that used to be taught in now defunct shop classes. He highlighted the fact that students will learn to use tractors, trailers, loaders, hydraulic equipment like log splitters, and chainsaws; learn welding, piping, block laying, wiring, electrical work, and plumbing.

While some time with equipment is donated by local companies, Givens looks to rent equipment rather than purchase. Since technology changes so rapidly, he wants students to learn from new equipment and stay up to date.

Some students hope to get an entry-level job upon completion; others hope to receive college credit to use after graduation.  He stresses to his students how early in Ohio’s shale development we really are and the incredible opportunities it will bring through job creation:

They’re learning that this industry is not just a fly-by-night, it’s a long term, and they’re looking at all the different options of what the job opportunities might be—whether it’s transient movement with the rigs, or staying with a permanent job in a community with processing and the delivery of those products—Robert Given, Marlington High School Gas and Oil Technology Program (1:35)

Since this is a pilot program in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Education and Stark State College, grants will be needed to fund the program after its two year trial. Currently, Marlington High School itself funds the class.  Next year, they hope to expand the program providing open enrollment to neighboring schools and bringing on another teacher to fulfill needs.  This school year, the class plans to present to Governor Kasich’s Ohio Economic Education Summit and applied to present at the 2013 Legislative Seminar.

The program also aims to develop a curriculum that can be used in other school districts across Ohio.  Schools in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia have inquired about Marlington’s program in hopes of starting their own.

The hands-on experiences using large equipment has given juniors Otha Loving and Darrian Nelson hope of finding jobs in the oil and gas industry or related fields. EID was able to bring them out of class for a few minutes to chat about their experience:

I thought it’d be a great opportunity to get a head start of everyone else who doesn’t have the experience we’re getting in the two years—Otha Loving, Marlington High School Gas & Oil Technology Program (:04)

After a year or two of learning the industry’s terminology, safety practices, mechanical basics, and operating and maintaining large equipment, Marlington High School’s students will be better prepared to take part in Ohio’s oil and gas revolution. These are great first steps towards ensuring a brighter, more prosperous future.

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The Sunday Shale Show: Guest, Scott Smith, P.E., Environmental Resources Management

Sunday, May 5th, 2013 | 0 Comments

For The Sunday Shale Show this week, Energy in Depth sat down with Mr. Scott Smith, a professional engineer with Environmental Resources Management (ERM). ERM has over 5,000 employees working in 39 countries. In Ohio, ERM hosts two separate locations in Cleveland and Cincinnati that work on shale development.   The Cleveland operations has 13 staff members while the Cincinnati operations has 25 employees.

 I defiantly see this being a wave that will create more jobs in Ohio and produce more opportunities for our company, our business. – Scott Smith, ERM (3:57)

As Mr. Smith acknowledged, there is great potential in the future development of our state’s shale deposits, and its potential is recognized worldwide, with more and more interest and investment coming in to the Buckeye State.

For this reason, ERM and other organizations (like Energy in Depth) have placed a priority on educating the public about the industry, its practices, and the incredible benefits this continued development will bring for Ohio’s workforce and its communities.

Energy in Depth thanks Mr. Smith for his efforts, and for joining us on The Sunday Shale Show. We look forward to continuing to work with those working directly or indirectly with the oil and gas industry to provide in-depth analysis of what’s taking place in Ohio (and beyond), and what it means for our communities and our state.

Stay tuned for The Sunday Shale Show next week!

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Hickory Bend Investment Could Reach $1B

Thursday, May 2nd, 2013 | 0 Comments

As many have heard, an important project is underway in Springfield Township in southern Mahoning County:  $300 million is being spent on the Hickory Bend gas gathering and processing project, which is being developed by NiSource Midstream Services LLC and Hilcorp Energy’s joint venture, Pennant Midstream LLC.  NiSource is mainly responsible for infrastructure development and Hilcorp will work on exploration and production.  The project includes a $150 million cryogenic processing plant, and an additional $150 million in pipelines that will extend from western Pennsylvania to Mahoning and Columbiana counties in Ohio.

NiSource COO Chad Zamarin came to the Mahoning Valley this week to meet with local officials and reporters, revealing the project could see even more investment in the next few years:

“We believe our initial $300 million project has the potential over the next few years to be $1 billion worth of investment in this very footprint” —Chad Zamarin (NiSource Exec: $300M Gas Project Could Grow to $1B, 5/1/13)

You read that right — $1 billion. Foreseeing the need for more infrastructure, NiSource is preparing the site for future investment, as Zamarin explained:

“We’re developing an area that will allow for multiple plants to be sited. When we do come back and expand the location, it can be done at very little impact” —Chad Zamarin (NiSource Exec: $300M Gas Project Could Grow to $1B, 5/1/13)

He also stated that 200 local excavators, operating engineers, and laborers are preparing the site for the new plant. Translation: hundreds of new jobs. As work continues, he said the number of local contractors and members from the building trades could grow to around 1,000.  As the project grows, so will the need for workers:

“We’ve found an incredibly talented work force. The trades and the unions are working with us on training and development programs so that by the time we get ready to do work, the folks are ready to hit the ground running.” —Chad Zamarin (NiSource Exec: $300M Gas Project Could Grow to $1B, 5/1/13)

The cryogenic plant’s construction should begin in June. Zamarin said within 12 months, the plant should be installed and in service.  The plant will chill natural gas to separate wet gas from dry gas. The dry gas will then be pumped into natural gas lines, while the wet gas will go to a fractionation plant.

Of course, NiSource isn’t new to the Mahoning Valley, and the company will continue to operate as a good neighbor. They’ve already paved two roads in the area and, as a means of reducing emissions, will run the plant on electricity rather than diesel fuel.  Through Columbia Gas, of which NiSource is a parent company, Zamarin explained that the company’s pipelines “have been in this area for over 100 years.”

Projects like Hickory Bend show Ohio’s Utica Shale is not to be overlooked, and the local impact of development can be — and indeed typically is — quite significant. When a company is considering spending $1 billion in a concentrated area, other investment will no doubt follow. The communities benefit from increased revenue and economic activity, and all Ohioans benefit from a plethora of new jobs. More headlines like this are sure to come!

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UPDATE: Chesapeake Provides Another Promising Operations Update On The Utica

Wednesday, May 1st, 2013 | 0 Comments

UPDATE (05/01/13 10:00 am ET):  Chesapeake hosted its first quarter earnings call this morning, during which the company spoke highly of its development in the Utica.  As many know, Chesapeake is the largest operator in the Utica Shale and continues to invest heavily in Ohio.  

Chesapeake is operating 14 rigs in Ohio and has developed 249 wells to date.  They have 66 wells producing, with 86 waiting on pipeline and 97 in various stages of completion. The company also completed and tested three wells in Harrison and Carroll Counties, all of which proved to be significant:

Chesapeake brought a total of 13 wells online in the first quarter of 2013 with a an average peak rate of 1,200 barrels of oil equivalent per day, and the company is still on pace to reach its goal of 330 million cubic feet of natural gas equivalent (mmcfe) per day.  As of the call this morning, Chesapeake is averaging 60 mmcfe per day.

Kinda makes that Bloomberg News story from a few weeks ago seem even more silly, huh?

–Original post from April 1, 2013–

In one of his first actions as the acting chief executive of Chesapeake Energy, Steve Dixon held an operations update conference call at 8:30 this morning.  While many areas were covered, Dixon’s update on Chesapeake’s Utica Shale operations was worth noting  as it provided a very positive picture of the Utica Shale’s potential.

According to the company’s data, Chesapeake has developed over 240 wells in the Utica/Point Pleasant formation.  This accounts for approximately 75% of all development in the Utica Shale.  With these assets alone, Chesapeake is currently producing 75 million cubic feet equivalent (mmcfe) of natural gas per day. Given the limited sample available these numbers are promising.  In fact, Chesapeake estimates that if it’s production was unconstrained it would be capable of producing double its current production.  Given that, looking forward Chesapeake has a target of 330 mmcfe a day, or 55,000 barrel of oil equivalent, by the end of 2013.  While reaching this estimate depends greatly on processing and pipeline infrastructure coming online as scheduled, the initial outlook in reaching this goal provides reason for optimism.

Also covered on the call was a production update from one of Chesapeake’s wells in Carroll County.  The pad, called the Scott Unit, has 6 laterals.  Chesapeake was able to get development costs down to an average of $6.5 million a lateral on the pad, a notable reduction in cost from the play’s average well cost of $8-$10 million. In addition to getting well costs down, the numbers being produced by the Scott Unit wells also look promising according to figures referenced during the call.

We drilled six wells from a common PAD with average 24-hour restricted test rates of 1,250 boe per day, which included 310 barrels of oil, 200 barrels of NGL, with ethane not recovered, and 4.4 mmcf of natural gas per day, at flowing tubing pressures exceeding 3000 psi.- Steven C. Dixon, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Chesapeake Energy

While Chesapeake’s initial results are encouraging, the company’s opportunity for future Utica growth seems even more encouraging taking into account that companies like MarkWest, and others, will continue to expand Ohio’s midstream infrastructure assets throughout the year.   This will allow Chesapeake, and other upstream producers, to develop additional wells that will enable more natural gas and natural gas liquids to be brought to market.

Thanks to these early successes, Chesapeake’s data on the play’s productivity and expected forthcoming investments, Dixon outlined some pretty prolific  estimates for Utica Shale wells it will develop in the coming years.  Specifically, Dixon stated;

Based on Chesapeake’s geoscientific, petrophysical and engineering research during the past two years – and the results and detailed analysis of wells we have drilled to date –  Chesapeake is targeting ultimate reserve recoveries of 5 to 10 billion cubic feet equivalent (bcfe) per well in the Utica, depending on location and commodity mix within the play.- Steven C. Dixon, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Chesapeake Energy

Again Chesapeake is leading the way in the Utica Shale.  As they continue to bring more wells on line without processing constraints, they will be putting up great numbers.  Hopefully by years end, constraints will be relieved so eastern Ohio can see the true potential Chesapeake and others are providing thanks to Utica Shale development.

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Utica Shale: By The Numbers For April

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013 | 0 Comments

Building on strong numbers from the first quarter of 2013, Utica Shale development in the second quarter of 2013 has been taking off in Ohio. Of course, we see headlines each week in newspapers all over the Buckeye state indicating new jobs, investments, and opportunities thanks to increased oil and natural gas production, so this shouldn’t really surprise anyone.  And while development is good news for getting Ohio back on track, it is equally important to understand where Utica Shale development is helping boost Ohio’s economy.

To date, there have been 627 permits issued by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for wells in the Utica/Point Pleasant geological formation. Of those 627 permitted wells, 310 of them have been developed, and 89 of those are in production.

Thus far, Utica Shale permits have been issued in the following 22 counties (updated county numbers in bold):

All of these permits have been provided to 27 companies that are developing Ohio’s shale resources (updated permit numbers in bold):

While still very early in its development, the Utica Shale is already showing some very exciting results. The best part is that this development, and the jobs and revenue that come with it, has occurred without a single environmental violation.  That successful track record is due to the diligence of companies operating in the state and Ohio’s strong regulations put forward in Senate Bill 315, the bi-partisan update to those regulations.

Thanks to our natural resources, the public commitment of these companies, a strong regulatory foundation, and the billions of dollars being invested from development, there is a renewed sense of optimism in Ohio thanks to the Utica Shale.

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Senator Portman Connects Job Seekers with Oil & Gas Jobs, Training

Monday, April 29th, 2013 | 1 Comment

The summer of 2013 is starting off strong in eastern Ohio. U.S. Senator Rob Portman’s office hosted an energy jobs fair this week in Youngstown, in partnership with the Ohio Oil & Gas Association and the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce. More than two dozen companies and roughly 15 training centers and universities sent representatives to Youngstown to give Ohioans a chance at the incredible opportunities the oil and gas industry is bringing the state.  Several hundred eager applicants pre-registered for the jobs fair, with many additional folks expected to attend.

The morning began with Eric Planey, Vice-President of International Business Attraction at Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, who introduced the day’s host, Sen. Portman. The Senator addressed hundreds of attendees, telling them he has faith in the area and the opportunities coming to Ohio because of shale development:

“I believe in the Valley, the Valley is coming back, and oil and gas is going to be a part of it.” –U.S. Senator Rob Portman

 

Senator Rob Portman addresses the crowd of job seekers early on Monday.

Companies like Chesapeake Energy, MarkWest Energy Partners MS Consultants, V & M Star, and Plumbers and Pipefitters 396 offered “Skilled workforce opportunities,”  which include pipeline welders, engineers, maintenance technicians, plant operators, electricians, millwrights, CAD drafters, designers, mechanical estimators, and surveyors.

Meanwhile, “general workforce opportunities” were provided by companies such as Dominion, Halliburton, Ohio Cat, and U.S. Steel.  These types of openings include entry level jobs to operate water pumping stations, technical and well operators, drivers, equipment operators, derrickmen, business planners, dispatchers, and sales/operations management.

Lastly, universities and colleges such as Youngstown State University, Stark State College, Eastern Gateway Community College, Zane State College, and Belmont College were giving information on degree programs and workforce training offerings.  Technical centers like ITT Technical Institute, Diplomatic Protection Training Institute, New Castle School of Trades, Trumbull Career & Technical Center, and Columbiana County Career and Technical Center were giving information on (and signing applicants up for) technical training programs that prepare individuals for specific oil and gas industry jobs.

Senator Rob Portman speaks with a representative from Eastern Gateway Community College on their shale gas training programs at Monday’s jobs fair.

While Energy In Depth has attended multiple oil and gas job fairs since shale development has begun to revitalize the state, today’s job fair demonstrated once again that elected officials and business development agencies are fully behind the industry.  Ohio’s recent economic success is new to many, especially with much of the state being plagued by the recession and economic stagnation. But as a glimmer of hope, shale development is providing thousands of jobs across the state, and companies are looking to invest in the Ohio workforce for generations to come.

Today the job fair saw individuals from all walks of life looking to get their foot in the door. Veterans, students, former steel workers, and many others — all looking for a better opportunity.  As production continues to ramp up in the Buckeye State, more opportunities will certainly be available for Ohio’s eager workforce.

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UPDATE: OSU Student Networking Event Draws Big Names in Shale

Friday, April 26th, 2013 | 1 Comment

UPDATE (4/26/13 9:00 am ET): It appears the Buckeye Shale Energy Organization‘s networking has paid off.  At a school of more than 43,000 undergraduate students, the Ohio State University student group was named the 2013 Outstanding New Organization Award.  Ohio State facilitates more than 1,000 student groups, and BSEO stood out this year for its achievements in educating fellow students about oil and gas and networking with some of the biggest names in the industry.

BSEO’s President and outgoing senior, Vince Melillo, told Energy In Depth how the award shows the recognition shale is getting throughout the state:

“Members of the BSEO are ecstatic to be recognized by the university. In creating this organization, we realized the potential impact the shale industry would have in our beloved state. It is nice to know that Ohio State acknowledges the same fact.” –Vince Melillo

Last year, Vince wrote a blog post for Energy In Depth on his wish to stay in Ohio by getting a good job in the oil and gas industry.  Now, he can say that wish came true.  He recently accepted the position of Project Engineer with Marathon here in Ohio:

“Not only was I excited to be offered a job from a renowned company such as Marathon, but I am thrilled to be able to stay in my home state. As we travel in to the future of the shale energy industry in Ohio, I expect more and more students to be able to do the same.” –Vince Melillo

While we can report Ohio has created more than 38,000 jobs related to shale development, Vince’s news shows just how important the industry is to the Buckeye State:  He was eager to remain in the state he calls home, and without this industry he likely would have been forced to leave.  Now, with the incredible opportunities the oil and gas industry has brought to our state, college graduates and technical students are not only finding good jobs, but they’re finding those jobs in the state they love.

–-Original post from November 9, 2012—

This week EID traveled to Columbus to attend Buckeye Shale Energy Organization’s (BSEO) Second Annual Shale Energy Student-Industry Networking Event.  The event was in partnership with Ohio State’s Subsurface Energy Resource Center, Buckeye STEPS, and University Clean Energy Alliance of Ohio.  Not a job fair, the event was meant to facilitate dialog between Engineering and Geoscience students from Ohio universities and representatives from Ohio’s oil and gas industry.  Students were given the opportunity to network with more than 20 companies that are leading the way in Ohio’s shale industry.  Not only were production companies in attendance, but also companies involved in the growing supply chain for the industry.

Yesterday’s event was an example of BSEO’s continued efforts in outreach to the industry, as well as other students.  The group, comprised of students in engineering and geology, is led by Dr. Jeff Daniels of OSU’s School of Earth Sciences and aims to educate interested students on the vast opportunities shale development offers and to connect dedicated students with interested employers.  At a past meeting, Dr. Daniels also emphasized that while the students are promoting the incredible potential that lies in the Utica Shale, they are also promoting the safe practices used by oil and gas developers to extract those resources.

Dr. Daniels stepped out of the event to chat with EID about the group and its purpose:

I’m the advisor to the Buckeye Shale Energy Organization, which is a group of students primarily engineering students who are interested in shale industry and really working with industry and looking at the various aspects of energy and the environment for the shale—Dr. Jeff Daniels, Ohio State University (:19)

The networking event drew many of  Ohio’s oil and gas developers including BP, Halliburton, and Chesapeake and companies involved in Ohio’s shale development including Kokosing, Shaw Environmental, and Excalibur Machine.

BSEO’s co-founder and President Vince Melillo took time away from the event to chat with EID about the group’s unique event and opportunity:

What we’re doing is essentially gathering up people who are from our state who want to stay here and make Ohio into a great oil and gas producer—Vince Melillo, President, Buckeye Shale Energy Organization (:50)

BSEO’s Treasurer and cofounder, Alex Sava, is a fifth-year engineering student interested in the growing shale play.  He’s confident he and fellow students will graduate to many opportunities in the oil and gas industry:

I think there are a lot of great opportunities coming from Ohio, western PA, all around here. Students are going to have a lot of job opportunities from these companies—Alex Sava, Buckeye Shale Energy Organization (:20)

Overall, BSEO put on a great event, making themselves known to industry leaders and putting them in a position to hopefully work alongside them soon.  These students understand the incredible opportunities coming to Ohio from shale development, and plan to take full advantage.

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