marcellus shale

This has post date of 19/-7/10
Marcellus Shale Well Pumps 4.45 Million Cubic Feet Daily
By CASEY JUNKINS Staff Writer

CAMERON - Those signing Marcellus Shale drilling contracts with terms for production royalties ranging from 12-19 percent could gain significant profits from wells such as Whipkey No. 2 near Cameron.

This well, operated by St. Mary's, W.Va.-based Trans Energy Inc., is now pumping an average of 4.45 million cubic feet of natural gas each day. This amount equals 4,450 MCF, an abbreviation representing 1,000 cubic feet of gas.

"We are quite pleased with the production of this well," said Lisa Corbitt, chief financial officer for Trans Energy.

Permits on file with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Oil and Gas show the Whipkey No. 2 well to be on land owned by Bruce Whipkey.

Trans Energy announced the well was active on June 4, yet oil and gas office records available via the organization's website show no active wells for Trans Energy in Marshall County.

Representatives of the oil and gas office previously said Mountain State operators have a two-month grace period in which to report their newly completed wells.

Corbitt said part of the reason the well is producing so much gas is that almost 4,000 feet of underground horizontal lateral shafts were completed.

"The length of the laterals contributes to production," she said. "The farther you go, the more gas you can pick up."

Corbitt noted Whipkey No. 1, at the same site, is pumping about 1.8 million cubic feet per day. She hopes this well will be able to approach the production levels for No. 2 in the near future.

Land Department Manager Mark Woodburn said Trans Energy has four active Marcellus wells in Wetzel County. One of these is horizontal like those near Cameron, while the other three are older, vertical wells.

"The move now is to do all horizontal wells," he said.

Regarding future growth throughout the area, Woodburn said Trans Energy has received permits to construct even more Marcellus wells.

"We could have five more horizontal wells in Marshall County by the end of the year," he noted.

Regarding the way he believes drilling will impact the area, Woodburn said, "Marcellus Shale will forever change the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia."

Trans Energy President John G. Corp said via news release, "We continue to move forward with our plan to rapidly develop our acreage position in the Marcellus Shale."

Landowners in West Virginia's Northern Panhandle have signed contracts with companies such as Trans Energy, Chesapeake Appalachia, AB Resources, CNX Gas. Corp. and Range Resources. Some of the companies currently operating in Eastern Ohio include Starr Energy Resources, Marquette Exploration, Oxford Oil Co., Western Reserve and Brammer Engineering Inc.