The mid-eastern states are in the southern half of the northeastern United States and include Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Exploratory activity in this region increased slightly during 1988 as 183 exploratory completions were reported, up 6.8% from 1987. Targets ranged in age from Triassic (in Pennsylvania) to Cambrian (in Ohio). Overall drilling activity decreased as completions reported dropped 16.9% and footage drilled dropped 6.4%. Drilling was relatively shallow, with average well depths ranging from 3,675 ft in Pennsylvania to 4,475 ft in Virginia, and very successful, with success rates ranging from 84.4% in Virginia to 95.6% in Pennsylvania. Gas production increased in at least 2 of the 5 states. Oil production was down in 3 of the st tes and 6.2% for the region.

Two exploratory wells were drilled near Accident field in Garrett County, Maryland, both to Upper Devonian targets, but are being held confidential. Natural gas production declined one-third from the 1987 level to 29,278 mcf from 8 wells in the Middle to Lower Devonian Huntersville Chert-Oriskany Sandstone section. Leasing activity continued in southern Maryland and portions of the Delmarva peninsula for Mesozoic prospects of the Taylorsville basin in anticipation of a deep well being drilled in northern Virginia. New laws affecting drilling and leasing operations for oil and gas were passed in the legislature.

Activity in Ohio continued to decline, but not as much as in 1987, as the number of reported completions dropped 16.3%, new drilling decreased 19.4%, and footage drilled was off 17.0%. Drilling targets ranged from the Pennsylvanian Cow Run sandstone to the Cambrian Mt. Simon Sandstone, but the Clinton sandstone again was the main target, with 73.2% of all wells testing this zone. Exploratory drilling increased 32.2%, as 7.0% of all reported wells were exploratory. These exploratory wells were dominated by Lower Ordovician Rose Run Sandstone and Cambrian Trempealeau Limestone tests. However, only 6 of 41 Rose Run and Trempealeau wildcats were successful. Crude oil production decreased 3.6%, but natural gas essentially remained at the 1987 level (up just 0.06%).

Drilling activity as reported in Pennsylvania during 1988 decreased by 15.2%, yet footage drilled increased by 14.3%. Exploratory activity decreased by 11.8%, and footage drilled decreased 20.4%. Seismic activity increased 16.7%. Development drilling also declined, by 14.8%; development drilling footage, however, increased 18.2%. There was a significant increase (72.4%) in deep drilling, 674 wells in 1988 compared with 391 wells drilled in 1987. As in past years, deep drilling was concentrated on continued exploration and development of Lower Silurian Medina fields in northwestern Pennsylvania. Shallow drilling activity decreased 35.3%, and this year was dominated by Upper Devonian gas fields throughout central and western Pennsylvania. Significant exploratory tests were reported from 15 counties in western, central, and eastern Pennsylvania, with targets ranging from the Triassic Newark Supergroup to the Lower Ordovician Beekmantown Formation. Oil production decreased 14.9%, and natural gas production increased 2.3%.

Drilling activity in Virginia was slightly lower during 1988 with 45 new wells drilled, for a decrease of 11.8% from 1987's total of 51. Of the 45 new wells, 38 were completed as producers and only 7 as dry holes, a success rate of 84.4%. Total footage drilled decreased 12.9%. Exploratory completions were down only 1 from 1987 or 6.7%. New gas discoveries were made in reservoirs that ranged from the Pennsylvanian Pocahontas Formation to the Ordovician Knox. One oil discovery was made in the Ordovician Trenton Limestone. Production of natural gas totaled 18,682,530 mcf, a decrease of 4.3%. Crude oil production increased significantly during 1988 with a total of 24,952 bbl produced, 45.6% more than in 1987.

Exploratory completions were up 10.0% in West Virginia, and exploratory footage was up 10.7%. Total well completions, including workovers, decreased 17.4%, and total footage decreased 19.9%. Exploration programs of interest included scattered tests of the Lower Devonian Oriskany Sandstone, and deeper than normal

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Upper Devonian shale tests in several southern counties. Several interesting slant wells were included in these shale exploration programs. Deep drilling increased 11.4%. Most deep wells tested the Oriskany Sandstone or Lower Silurian Tuscarora Sandstone. Only 35.9% of these deep wells were successful. Seismic activity was down 19.0% and was concentrated in counties in the Eastern Overthrust or adjacent Allegheny Plateau. However, some lines were shot over suspected basement features in western counties. Oil production decreased 7.0% from the 1987 level; gas production data were unavailable.