Eastern Ohio got a new Utica shale processing complex on Sunday, thanks to Utica East Ohio Midstream LLC.
The announcement of operations getting underway came from M3 Midstream LLC President and Chief Executive Officer Frank Tsuru, who announced that the complex in Columbiana and Harrison counties is processing natural gas and natural gas liquids.
That makes Utica East Ohio the first fully-integrated gathering, processing and fractionation complex to be put into operation in eastern Ohio.
It also eliminates a major bottleneck because Ohio drillers have been suffering from a lack of available processing facilities.
Utica East Ohio is a joint venture owned 49 percent by Access Midstream, 30 percent by M3 and 21 percent by EV Energy Partners.
The system currently includes 63 miles of natural gas and natural gas liquids gathering lines, a 200-million-cubic-feet-per-day cryogenic processing facility near Kensington in southern Columbiana County and a 45,000-barrel-per-day natural gas liquids fractionation, storage and rail facility near Scio in Harrison County.
With the future additions, the system will consist of 800 million cubic feet per day of cryogenic processing, 135,000 barrels per day of natural gas liquids fractionation, 870,000 barrels of natural gas liquids storage and a rail facility capable of loading 90 cars per day with the ability to increase processing, fractionation and rail-loading capacity to almost double the initial amount.
“Completing the first stage of this project is an important milestone in advancing the development of the Utica shale formation in Ohio, as wells can begin producing both natural gas and natural gas liquids, with this processing system getting those products an important step closer to homes, businesses and industrial users,” said Tsuru.
More than 1,700 workers were employed to construct the new facilities.
Approximately 50 people will be employed to operate the two plants, with an additional 15 jobs focused on operating the rail terminal at the Scio plant.
Construction will continue on the second processing and fractionation units, which are scheduled to be completed in December.
Other companies have plans for additional processing facilities in eastern Ohio.
Bob Downing can be reached at 330-996-3745 or bdowning@thebeaconjournal.com.
