Drilling Has Changed Considerably Since The First Boom

time2009/09/07

A common sight in the 1800's in Wetzel County and the state of West Virginia, tall oil derricks doting the county side, are now being replaced by the new technology of drilling in the 21st century.

The wildcatters of that day would be amazed at how natural gas is being sought and drilled for now. With the Marcellus Shale in the area as the next big natural gas shale basin, great-grandfathers of the past oil drilling boom days would shake their heads in disbelief of this new way of drilling for natural gas, horizontally.

Horizontal drilling is the process of drilling a well from the surface down to targeted gas bearing formations, then turning the wellborne horizontal and continuing to drill sideways while staying within the formation. This allows drillers to reach natural gas under roads, buildings, and homes.

According to studies conducted by Navigant Consulting, Inc., the U.S natural gas industry is extremely robust. Information is showing there is more natural gas in these shale basins than estimated. Chesapeake Energy saw the future of the different 23 shale basins throughout the country. With their sights on the Wetzel and Marshall counties area right now, the drilling has begun.

The local county courthouses in the last two years have seen an overload of landmen and reachers contracted out by companies doing research on titles of property owners that clearly own mineral rights under their land. The process of these leasing agreements for their mineral rights has already begun with local land owners. And with this, the drilling to tap into the this valuable resource has commenced.

In August 2008, Chesapeake Energy started in Wetzel County on the Yost Rig 240, or Durig 2H well on Macedonia Ridge, not far from the Silver Hill area. They called this Eastern Division the Victory Prospect, because just getting the rig to the drill site was a victory, since Chesapeake was accustomed to drilling in areas of flat land.

Recently seismic testing was completed in the Marshall and Wetzel counties areas with helicopters to help assist in finding the shale below. Helicopters were used because of West Virginia's steep hills.

A site visit was granted by Chesapeake Energy to see what this process is all about. They welcomed officials to the Stern site, also called Nomac 242 rig, is located just inside the Marshall County line in the Greenfield Ridge area.

Like most rigs, the 242 rig consists of a four-man crew with the Toolpusher included. The Toolpusher is the rig's supervisor, whose job is to coordinate the activities of the rig. He makes sure the materials and parts are available and communicates closely with the operator of what progress is being made or if problems arise.

According to Joseph Kennedy, Chesapeake Drilling Safety Manager, the rig crew works 12 hour shifts. They work seven days straight in a row, then they have seven days off. The crew is exposed to the elements of all the seasons on a rig, winter being the worst, because a rig never shuts down while in operation. Many crew members drive in to the New Martinsville area to stay at the local motels while they are working, because they are away from home.

In the small trailer on the rig's deck, or the "dog house" as the rig's crew would call it, the Chesapeake representatives on hand presented technology that is now being used in the drilling process.