Utica

Appalachian pure-play Antero Resources Corp. turned more wells to sales in the third quarter than it has during any period in its history following a packed stretch of activity that will allow the company to slow down as the year comes to an end.

Eclipse Resources Corp. said Thursday that its first Utica Shale well in north-central Pennsylvania came online at 32 MMcf/d and has continued to perform at that rate for more than 30 days, exceeding the company’s expectations in an underdeveloped part of the play.

Strong core production from the Utica Shale and the South Central Oklahoma Oil Province (SCOOP) again helped Gulfport Energy Corp. increase volumes in the third quarter, even though it turned fewer wells to sales than analysts had expected.

Ohio’s unconventional oil production bounced back in the second quarter, reaching 4.5 million bbl, an 11% increase from the year-ago period, according to data released by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

Strong performance during the first six months of the year has prompted Gulfport Energy Corp. to again increase its 2018 production guidance.

Although it cut capital expenditures earlier this year on the dim outlook for natural gas prices, Appalachian pure-play Eclipse Resources Corp. managed to beat its second quarter production guidance.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. is exiting Ohio’s Utica Shale, a play it pioneered, in a $2 billion divestiture to Houston-based startup Encino Acquisition Partners (EAP), which has plans to aggressively develop the 900,000 net acres.

Ohio’s unconventional natural gas production continued its upward climb in the first quarter, jumping more than 40% year/year (y/y) and setting a new state record at 531.3 Bcf.

Ascent Resources LLC announced on Friday that it would acquire 113,400 net Utica Shale acres for $1.5 billion in a package of deals with multiple sellers, ballooning the company’s position in the play to more than 300,000 net acres and becoming one of the country’s largest private exploration and production (E&P) companies in the process.