Muskingum

The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) approved two separate agreements Friday to provide water from several managed lakes in eastern Ohio for approximately three months to Antero Resources and Gulfport Energy Corp. for Utica Shale operations.

The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) agreed Friday to lease more than 6,000 acres under one of the lakes it manages in eastern Ohio to Antero Resources, with a bonus payment of nearly $41 million.

Ohio wells produced about 73.3 Bcf of natural gas and 4.9 million bbl of oil in 2011, according to a report released this week by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ (ODNR) Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management.

The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) says it will consider short-term water sales from two lakes in eastern Ohio to oil and natural gas operators drilling in the Marcellus and Utica shales.

Support is growing for the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) — a state government entity that controls an 8,000-square mile watershed covering about one-fifth of the state — to sell water for natural gas drilling in the Marcellus and Utica shales, albeit on a temporary basis.

Support is growing for the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) — a state government entity that controls an 8,000-square mile watershed covering about one-fifth of the state — to sell water for natural gas drilling in the Marcellus and Utica shales, albeit on a temporary basis.