Ohio Valley Energy (OVE) utilizes the latest methods in Geographic Information Systems and geological data to find specific areas containing oil and gas reserves.
Once an area is identified as a potential drilling prospect, OVE inspects the prospective drilling location to determine if it is a physically viable location for a well.
OVE then acquires the leases from the necessary landowners for permitting the well with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Mineral Resources Management.
OVE has professional surveyors stake the location of the well and related facilities as required by the ODNR.
OVE then sends an application to the ODNR for a permit to drill the well. The State Inspector will then inspect the drilling location as part of the permitting process. The landowner may be present for this inspection, which takes approximately 1 hour.
OVE’s excavating contractors prepare the location for drilling. This includes clearing and grading the land if needed, and building the access road to the drill site. This process takes one to two days depending upon the location.
The drilling rig is then moved to the location. Trucks deliver other necessary equipment and materials. Two earthen pits are dug and lined with industry certified “pit liners” to be used during the drilling process. Construction fencing is installed surrounding the drill site. The crew situates the drilling rig and other equipment necessary to drill the well. Drilling can take approximately five to ten days, depending upon the location, depth and type of well. Drilling will continue 24 hours a day until the desired depth is reached.
When drilling is complete, the drilling rig and equipment are removed from the location. The mud pits are filled back in and reclaimed within a few weeks after drilling.
After drilling is finished, other steps are required to complete the well. Within a few weeks, after drilling is completed, a small service rig brings equipment to “perforate the well”, creating small holes in the casing pipe through which gas and fluids can flow freely. This process takes one day.
Once the well has been perforated, hydraulic fracturing takes place. This is accomplished by injecting fluid and sand into the well. It is done in order to “fracture” the geological formation to access the oil and natural gas within the formation. Several large trucks and water tanks are required for this process which takes one day.
Once the well has been fractured, we complete the well with a small service rig. Water trucks will haul away the water that was pumped into the well. This process may take three to four days.
Next we install a multi-valve wellhead to control the flow from the well. Our contractors then install the rest of the equipment:
-Two tanks to hold any oil or water produced from the well;
-A separator to separate the natural gas from the fluids that will go to the tanks from the wellhead;
-A pipeline from the separator to the local gas company’s line to sell the gas;
-A meter run to measure the gas being sold;
-Permanent fencing around all equipment.
The well is now ready to put into production (turn-on).
Once all the equipment is installed, the location is restored nearly to its original contour. Landscaping is then completed as previously approved by the landowner.
After the well is in production, a well tender will routinely inspect the well and related equipment.
Ohio Valley Energy (OVE) utilizes the latest methods in Geographic Information Systems and geological data to find specific areas containing oil and gas reserves.
The drilling rig is then moved to the location. Trucks deliver other necessary equipment and materials. Two earthen pits are dug and lined with industry certified “pit liners” to be used during the drilling process. Construction fencing is installed surrounding the drill site. The crew situates the drilling rig and other equipment necessary to drill the well. Drilling can take approximately five to ten days, depending upon the location, depth and type of well. Drilling will continue 24 hours a day until the desired depth is reached.