The CSD District 20 report includes Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

No new wells were drilled in Maryland in search of oil or gas during the year.

In 1970, as in 1969, Silurian "Clinton" sandstone continued to be the main objective for drilling in Ohio. Approximately 85% of all new wells drilled were completed in this formation. Drilling activity increased from that of 1969 (1,105 wells) with 1,355 wells drilled in 1970. Crude oil production was down 1 million bbl, but natural gas production increased 22 Bcf compared with 1969. Total new footage drilled was 5,519,900.

Probably the most significant discovery in Pennsylvania during the year was made by the No. 1 Nellie C. Martin in Armstrong County, which was plugged back from a TD of 15,574 ft in the Gatesburg (Cambrian) and fractured in the Oriskany (Lower Devonian), discovering the Snyderville gas pool. This well was drilled in an area where it was thought previously that the Oriskany was absent. Drilling activity was down 14%, crude oil production down 10%, and natural gas production down 2% compared with 1969. Deep development continued in the Medina gas area of Crawford County where 14 gas wells were drilled in the Indian Springs field. A well completed in this field in 1968 had produced over 30,000 bbl of Corning grade crude by the end of 1970. Activity in the shallow gas fields continued in I diana, Armstrong, and Jefferson Counties. Warren County was the most active in the oil area with 169 successful wells completed in the Glade sandstone. A total of 1,658,759 ft was drilled.

There was a renewal of drilling activity in Virginia in Buchanan, Dickenson, and Tazewell Counties during 1970 resulting in the completion of 14 producing gas wells and 2 dry holes. The successful wells had a combined IOF of about 17,000 Mcf after fracture of the Berea sandstone. Gas and oil production increased slightly from 1969. The total amount drilled was 73,006 ft.

West Virginia had a modest decline (down 3.1%) in the total number of new wells drilled during 1970. More significant were the larger declines in both total exploratory drilling (down 9.5%) and total deep drilling (down 19.3%). However, there was a significant upswing in Newburg drilling (up 26.1%) as the center of activity shifted northward from the Rocky Fork-Cooper Creek area in Kanawha County to the Ripley-Wheaton Run-Groundhog Creek trend in Jackson County. Despite the overall drilling decline, all of the major producing and exploratory trends, both shallow and deep, registered drilling activity, and both oil and gas production rose slightly during the year. The total footage drilled was 2,747,326.