The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) recently published 2023 first quarter oil and natural gas production totals showing that oil production surpassed 6.5 million barrels. This is up 65.6 percent over the first quarter of 2022 and nearly 12 percent higher than fourth quarter 2022. Due to its increased production, Ohio now ranks 11th in the nation for oil production and remains the largest oil producer in the Appalachian Basin. 

Overall, in the first quarter of 2023 Ohio produced almost 700,000 more barrels of oil than in the fourth quarter of 2022, produced almost 2.6 million more barrels than in the first quarter of 2022, and added 59 new wells. 

Natural gas production was also on the rise with 551 billion cubic feet of natural gas produced in the first quarter, which marked the greatest production in a single quarter since 2021. According to the most recent data, Ohio is the sixth largest producer of natural gas in the nation. 

 Out of the top twenty oil producing wells in the first quarter, nineteen were located in either Guernsey or Carroll counties. Each of those top twenty oil producing wells were operated by either Ascent Resources or Encino Acquisition Partners (EAP Ohio). EAP alone produced over 3.5 million barrels of oil which was nearly 54 percent of all statewide oil production. 

Jackie Stewart, Director of EAP’s external affairs celebrated the successful quarter and stated: 

“Encino remains optimistic about the exciting and emerging oil play in Ohio.” 

“We continue to be cautiously optimistic about the northern region of the Utica and look forward to exploring new opportunities to grow oil and natural gas production in the state.” 

Overall, 2.5 million barrels, or 39 percent of Ohio’s total oil production from this quarter, came from Carroll County. Guernsey County accounted for 2.2 million barrels or about 35 percent of Ohio’s total quarterly oil production. Together, the two top producing counties accounted for nearly three quarters of oil production in Ohio. 

Notably, Columbiana County, which has historically focused on natural gas production, extracted 24,000 barrels of oil in 2021 and 20,710 barrels in 2022. However, in just the first quarter of 2023, the county produced an incredible 233,000 barrels of oil, representing a 3,422 percent increase from the first quarter of 2022. 

With regard to natural gas production, the two largest producing counties were Jefferson County, with 28 percent of statewide production, and Belmont County with nearly 26 percent. 

Bottom Line: Oil and natural gas production are both on the rise in Ohio as ODNR data show growth across the board with some major expansions in oil production such as in Columbiana County. By creating jobs and lowering energy prices in the Buckeye State, this growth continues to ensure critical energy security as the backbone of Ohio’s economy.  

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