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

Maryland had 11 completions during the year--6 gas storage wells in the Accident field, 4 stratigraphic tests in the coastal plain area, and a wildcat north of the Accident field that was dry in the Oriskany. A total of 61,412 ft was drilled during 1969.

The Silurian "Clinton" sandstone continued to be the prime target for drilling activity in Ohio. A total of 863 wells were drilled to this producing zone, 799 of which were productive. The success rate was an impressive 92.58%. Exploratory drilling in Ohio resulted in a success of 55%. The focal point of activity shifted from the East Canton area of Stark County to Guernsey, Muskingum, and Noble Counties. This new area also produces from the Silurian "Clinton" sandstone. A "Clinton" sandstone discovery in Lenox Township, Ashtabula County, was completed in September of 1969 for a reported initial open flow of 14,059 Mcf. This discovery has generated a vigorous leasing and drilling campaign. Total new footage drilled was 4,280,719.

Pennsylvania had 8 new-pool discoveries, 3 were Onondaga Chert-Oriskany Sandstone gas discoveries, 3 were Upper Devonian sandstone gas discoveries, and 2 were Upper Devonian sandstone oil discoveries. The discovery well, No. 1 Charles D. Evans in the Armbrust field, had an initial open flow of 6,267 MCFGD from the Murrysville Sandstone discovering the Sherrick Run pool. Most of the deep development drilling was the Medina (Lower Silurian) gas area of Crawford County where 13 gas wells were drilled in the Indian Springs field. Shallow development activity was in 4 areas: (1) in the Big Run and Marchand gas fields of Indiana, Jefferson, and Armstrong Counties, (2) in the Bradford oil field of McKean County where production was being sought in the Bradford and associated sandstones, (3) he Red Valley and Venango Second sand areas of Venango and Forest Counties where 121 oil wells were drilled, (4) and in Warren County where 171 oil wells were drilled in the Glade and related (Clarendon, Gartland) sandstone. A total of 1,930,944 ft was drilled.

In Virginia, only 1 well was drilled during the year and was completed as a dry hole through the Oriskany sandstone at a total depth of 3,980 ft in Highland County. Eight wells drilled prior to 1969 were idle waiting on decisions to plug, deepen, or fracture.

There was a significant increase in total drilling activity in West Virginia in 1969. However, both exploratory drilling and total deep drilling declined from the previous year. The Silurian Newburg sandstone remained the target of most deep drilling, but only 1 significant Newburg gas discovery was made. Although Onondaga-Oriskany drilling decreased, several interesting exploratory wells tested the zone in both the eastern and western parts of the state. Several Tuscarora (Lower Silurian) tests were drilled and 1 small gas discovery was made. The deepest well drilled in the state in recent years (TD 14,496 ft in Beekmantown) was dry. There was a large increase in both Big Injun and Riley-Benson sandstone drilling activity. Numerous extensions and discoveries were made in these as wel as other shallow pays. A new Benson gas field was discovered in northwestern Randolph County.