Anadarko upbeat on Utica shale potential

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HOUSTON, April 20 (UPI) -- An exploration campaign in the Utica shale deposit in Ohio is in the very early stages, though results are encouraging, Anadarko Petroleum Corp. said.

Anadarko, which has headquarters in Houston, provided a drilling update to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. It said it has drilled and is producing from three wells in the Utica shale deposit.

The most recent, the Brookfield A-3H well, delivered 9,500 barrels of crude oil and 12 million cubic feet of natural gas during its first 20 days online.

"Though it is very early in our exploration program, the strong initial results are encouraging," Bob Daniels, a senior vice president at Anadarko, said.

Two wells in Guernsey County -- Spencer A-1H and Spencer A-5H -- produced a combined 20,000 barrels of crude oil and 37 million cubic feet of natural gas in two months, the company said.

Ohio hosts portions of the Marcellus and Utica plays, two of the richest shale deposits in the United States.

"We plan to continue an active drilling program throughout the year, as we evaluate the liquids-rich potential of our 390,000-acre (gross) position in the Utica shale," Daniels said.