The Marcellus Shale is a geologic formation of sedimentary rock that contains natural gas. Experts suggest that it may be one of the largest onshore natural gas fields in North America.
The Marcellus Shale formation is estimated to primarily stretch across portions of Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and West Virginia. Small areas of Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia are also underlain by the Marcellus Shale.
Natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale became economically feasible for development when advanced drilling and completion techniques, such as horizontal drilling coupled with hydraulic fracturing, were developed. Chesapeake wells in the Marcellus Shale have an average depth of approximately 5,300 feet below the surface.
Energy companies are not all alike. Some companies specialize in leasing mineral rights or running title searches. Others are exploration and production (E&P) companies — also referred to as operators. Yet still others are service companies working primarily for operators in drilling or completion functions. It is smart to check the background and references of any companies you may be working with.
Chesapeake Energy Corporation is one of the largest producers of natural gas in the nation and the most active driller of new wells in the U.S. Chesapeake was named the Best-Managed Energy Company by Forbes in 2007 and also received the "Excellence in Innovation and Diversity" award for our unprecedented work at DFW International Airport. In addition,Fortune magazine has voted Chesapeake one of the nation's "100 Best Companies To Work For ®" for two consecutive years, 2008 - 2009. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, our strategy is focused on discovering, acquiring and developing conventional and unconventional natural gas reserves onshore in the U.S., primarily in the "Big 4" natural gas shale plays: the Barnett Shale of north-central Texas, the Haynesville Shale of East Texas and northwestern Louisiana, the Fayetteville Shale of central Arkansas and the Marcellus Shale of the northern Appalachian Basin.& We have substantial operations in various other plays, both conventional and unconventional in the Mid-Continent, Appalachian Basin, Permian Basin, Delaware Basin, South Texas, Texas Gulf Coast and Ark-La-Tex regions of the U.S.