Ohio’s oil and natural gas production dropped last year as operators shut in volumes and curbed activity amid the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Ohio Oil and Gas Association’s (OOGA) annual Debrosse Memorial Report.  

Ohio Production

Natural gas production fell by 10% year/year to 2.4 Tcf in 2020, according to estimates included in the report. Oil production fell 16% over the same time to 23.2 million bbl after setting a record in 2019. 

The pandemic curbed energy demand across the country and the world, which sent prices lower and forced oil and gas operators to slash activity and make price-related curtailments across Appalachia and the nation’s other leading fields. 

Permits issued by the state fell 25% last year to 353. The Utica Shale continued to dominate drilling programs...