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

No new development or exploratory wells were drilled for oil or gas in Maryland during the year.

Drilling activity decreased in Ohio during the year with 1,238 new wells drilled compared with 1,355 drilled in 1970. Most of the new wells (83.8%) were completed in the Silurian "Clinton" sandstone. Of the 1,038 "Clinton" tests, 935 were productive. Crude oil production decreased more than 1.5 million bbl from the 1970 production, but natural gas production increased approximately 9 Bcf, setting a new record for natural gas production in the state. Total new footage drilled was 5,296,233 ft.

Pennsylvania's drilling activity decreased 10%, crude oil production decreased 5%, and natural gas production decreased 1% compared with 1970. As in 1970, the majority of the deep development drilling was in the Medina (Silurian) gas area of Crawford County. Most of the activity in the shallow gas fields was in Armstrong, Indiana, and Jefferson Counties with 16, 17, and 95 successful gas wells, respectively, being drilled. Warren and Venango Counties were by far the most active oil areas with 144 and 142 successful oil wells, respectively. Seismic activity reached an all-time high with 147 crew-weeks logged, an increase of 227% over those logged in 1970. The footage drilled of new and deepened wells was 1,233,067 ft and gas storage drilling was 207,622 ft, for a total of 1,440,689 ft. /P>

Virginia's 1970 drilling program continued into 1971, with 13 wells averaging 4,000 ft in depth. The productive zone was commonly Berea with average open flows of more than 1,000 Mcf. An important deep test was completed in Accomack County in May 1971, to a total depth of 6,272 ft in the basement complex. Another well was started late in 1971 in Charles City County. The total footage drilled during the year amounted to 64,000 ft.

There was a sharp decrease (12.4%) in the total number of new wells drilled in West Virginia during 1971 compared with 1970. Total completions, including workovers, decreased 7.0%. Total exploratory drilling also registered a sharp decline (14.5%). The Upper Silurian Williamsport (Newburg) Sandstone continued as the major deep gas pay. Drilling to this reservoir was concentrated in North Ripley field, Jackson County, the state's most active gas field during the year. The Mississippian Big Injun sandstone was the most active shallow reservoir. Completions in the Berea sandstone remained fairly even with 1970, but Benson sandstone completions decreased by more than 50%. Despite the overall drilling decline, gas production registered a slight increase (1.4%) as most shallow and deep gas rends continued to be developed. Oil production, however, decreased 5.0%. Total footage drilled was 2,333,095 ft.