Alliances with Area Chambers of Commerce Benefits Partnership, Oil and Gas Industry

As published in ShaleMart magazine

The Stark County Oil and Gas Partnership is an alliance between local governments, chambers of commerce, labor, education, development groups and employment organizations, formed to promote a complete understanding of the oil and gas industry, promote oil and gas extraction efforts that are environmentally responsible and encourage the use of Stark County residents and businesses in the development, extraction and processing of oil and natural gas.

To accomplish its objectives, the Partnership works closely with area chambers of commerce and economic development organizations to help promote the region and raise awareness about the importance of the oil and gas industry to the Stark County economy. Included among those partners are the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce and the North Canton Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce has actively promoted the oil and gas industry and its impact on Canton since 2012. In addition to working with the Partnership to help promote the region, the Canton Chamber offers a series of seminars and conferences “designed to help businesses find their opportunities in oil and gas economy,” according to David Kaminski, the chamber’s vice president for public policy and energy.

The Canton Regional Chamber maintains a website at www.cantonchamber.org.

Meanwhile, the North Canton Area Chamber of Commerce (www.northcantonchamber.org) emphasizes the benefits of living and doing business in its community. They’ve developed a special website that focuses specifically on those benefits, www.liverightherenorthcanton.com.

“We have excellent city services, a low income tax rate, and no traffic congestion,” said Doug Lane, president of the North Canton Chamber. He points to the development of the Hoover District, located in the former headquarters building of the Hoover Company, as one of the citys many locations that offer low-cost office space.

Lane also promotes the fact that parking is free throughout the city, along with the convenience of immediate access to both Interstate 77 and the Akron-Canton Regional Airport. Walsh University is located in the city, and four other institutions of higher learning—Kent State University at Stark, Malone University, the University of Mount Union, and Stark State College—are located nearby.

The Stark County Oil and Gas Partnership is proud to work with these and other area chambers to help promote the advantages of living and doing business in Stark County.

This article was originally submitted for publication in ShaleMart's print and online editions.

Utica Shale oil production, natural gas production soar in Ohio

The news about oil and natural gas production in Ohio's Utica play continues to be positive and is reflected in robust numbers.

(Columbus Dispatch graphic)

As reported on cleveland.com, the news website connected with the Cleveland Plain Dealer, an analysis compiled by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) "found that oil production increased by 200 percent and gas by 350 percent from 2013 to 2014."

During the fourth quarter of 2014, Ohio’s horizontal shale wells produced more than 3.5 million barrels of oil and nearly 165 billion cubic feet of natural gas, according the the ODNR report.

Bob Downing of the Akron Beacon Journal, reported that the ODNR study indicated that "oil production from 779 horizontal Utica wells increased by more than 545,000 barrels, up 18.1 percent, and natural gas jumped by more than 33 billion cubic feet, or 25.6 percent, compared to the third quarter of 2014."

The full ODNR report can be accessed on the department's website.

Stark County Oil and Gas Partnership Promotes Understanding of the Industry, Economic Growth

True to its name, the Stark County Oil and Gas Partnership has become a leading voice promoting the economic impact of the oil and gas industry on the region.

According to Chairman Dave Kirven, the organization’s purpose is three-fold: to promote a understanding of the oil and gas industry; to promote oil and gas extraction efforts that are environmentally responsible; and to encourage the use of Stark County residents and businesses in the development, extraction and processing of oil and natural gas.

As published in ShaleMart magazine

The partnership describes itself as an alliance between local governments, chambers of commerce, labor, education, development groups and employment organizations.

“We believe Stark County is the ideal place for companies involved in the oil and gas industry, and their employees, to locate, live, work and shop,” said Kirven. “Our activities are focused on making that a reality as the fracking boom continues in Northeast Ohio and throughout the state.”

The partnership seeks to assist companies as they move into Stark County by directing them to local services, organizations and businesses that can make their move as seamless as possible.

Stark County boasts major interstate highways, access to rail, a neighboring airport, an abundant supply of water, and major metropolitan areas that offer outstanding residential, dining and shopping opportunities. Those factors and more make Stark County the ideal location for any business.

The partnership also points to Stark’s educated and skilled workforce, as well as the training provided through local colleges, the local building trades, and local employment organizations, as an added benefit to attracting businesses involved in the oil and gas industry.

Each year the partnership sponsors several events and seminars designed to inform and educate the community about the safety and effectiveness of fracking, and to bring together business and civic leaders in a networking environment.

“The Utica shale play continues to become a larger piece of the nation’s energy pie, and Ohio has benefitted immensely from the safe fracking practices that are in place,” said Kirven. “Stark County is experiencing an ongoing influx of oil and gas companies and their support industries, and we will continue to encourage those companies to ‘Choose Stark’ when deciding where to locate in Northeast Ohio.”

Stark County Economic Benefits: A Roundup of Ongoing Developments

Positive news keeps springing up everywhere, as jobs and dollars continue to flow into Stark County thanks to Ohio's key role in the oil and gas industry.

Jackie Stewart reports in the Energy in Depth Blog that "the unemployment rate in shale counties has fallen at a staggering rate," citing a recent report from Crain's Cleveland Business indicating that there will be more jobs for people in Northeast Ohio over the next decade.

Indeed, the report in Crain's indicates that "the oil and gas fields of the eastern and southern parts of the region will boost the regional economy beyond what can be forecast today."

Positive developments in our region had previously been highlighted in a Crain's article about the growing need for commercial buildings and properties thanks to the rapid growth of the shale industry. The article cited the efforts of Stark County's Bryce Custer, of NAI Spring in Canton, who focuses his efforts as a real estate adviser on servicing clients who come to the region to work in the Utica shale.

The article quotes Custer as estimating that his firm has done "in excess of $45 million in oil and gas business" over the past two years. The really enouraging news? The trend, according to Custer, is "business and industrial, followed by retail, followed by housing." In other words, economic development affecting all aspects of the economy.

And there's no end in site, as a report in Ohio Gas & Oil magazine indicated. The article quotes Mike Chadsey of the Ohio Oil & Gas Association as telling the Cambridge Rotary Club that "petroleum experts predict 1,000 wells per year will be drilled" in the Utica Shale "for the next 20 years."

A thousand wells per year. For 20 years.

Buckle up, because the forecast says we're in for a long ride -- one that promises to transform Stark County and all of Northeast Ohio.

More Progress in 2014, and the Stark County Oil & Gas Partnership is Leading the Way

Fracking in Ohio | Stark County Oil & Gas

It was another banner year for shale development in Ohio in 2014, and the Stark County Oil & Gas Partnership led the way in promoting its economic benefits for Stark and the surrounding region.

It began in January when we hosted a special “State of the Utica” event at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Speakers emphasized the county’s infrastructure, including the finest schools and hospitals in the region, along with optimum industrial, office and retail opportunities. Rapid development in the housing industry was highlighted, including the construction of six new hotels in the county, along with the remodeling of the Holiday Inn Belden Village.

The Partnership’s Dave Kirven was a panelist at the “Energize Canton” event in June, also at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The event had a specific focus on opportunities for women and minorities in the oil and gas industry, and highlighted its continuing impact on Ohio.

Also in June, we hosted our second annual golf outing at Shady Hollow Country Club in Massillon. The outing provides an excellent opportunity for business and civic leaders to network in a relaxed setting, while also hearing from speakers about the progress of shale drilling and exploration in the state.

Finally, we hosted the “Pipeline 101” event in November at Tozzi’s on 12^th in Canton. Speakers highlighted the many ways that the oil and gas industry, and the pipelines that support it, are helping to drive economic growth in Ohio, Michigan and the surrounding region.

At a time when the governor of New York has issued a ban on fracking in that state—even as its benefits to neighboring Pennsylvania continue to bolster that state’s economy, just as it is doing here in Ohio—we at the Stark County Oil & Gas Partnership remain committed to promoting its safety and overall benefits to our community and our state. We look forward to continued growth and progress in 2015!

Pipeline 101 Event Highlights Ongoing Development in Stark County and Ohio

The oil and gas industry, and the pipelines that serve it, represent the backbone for growth in Ohio, Michigan and the surrounding region.

That was the message heard at Pipeline 101, the latest  event sponsored by the Stark County Oil & Gas Partnership, which took place on Nov. 19 at Tozzi’s on 12th  in Canton.

Mike Chadsey of the Ohio Oil & Gas Association opened the evening by explaining how existing and proposed pipelines will affect the overall Utica Shale play, 

Peter Lidiak, pipeline director for the American Petroleum Institute, gave an overview of pipelines in the U.S. He explained that 50 percent of pipeline in the ground was installed before the 1950s, and that the rest were installed primarily from 1970 to 2000.

Today, Lidiak said, the industry has responded to safety considerations learned from past technology to use higher strength materials, better welding practices and better construction methods.

Dylan Borchers, and attorney with Bricker & Eckler Attorneys at Law, discussed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s regulation issues, along with the process for siting pipelines for the FERC and the State of Ohio.

Finally, Arthur Diestel of Spectra Energy gave  a positive overview of the Nexus Pipeline that will be running through northern Stark County. He said the primary focus of the project is to deliver natural gas for power generation, industrial growth, and local distribution to consumers, citing the fact that the gas delivered by the pipeline would be enough to heat 8 million homes per year.

Doug Lane, a board member of the Partnership and chair of the Stark County Chamber Association, moderated the event. Refreshments were provided and a networking hour concluded the evening.

Pipeline 101: Separate Fact from Fiction at Partnership Event on Nov. 11

As U.S. oil imports rise and gasoline prices drop, there's an increasing amount of information in the news and on the Web about oil and gas in Ohio and the country, as well as horizontal drilling, and, of course, pipelines.

So what are we supposed to believe? Find out for yourself on Wednesday, Nov. 11, when the Stark County Oil & Gas Partnership presents "Pipeline 101," a seminar featuring several representatives from the oil and gas industry.

Speakers will include Mike Chadsey of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association, Peter Lidiak of the American Petroleum Institute, Dylan Borchers of Bricker & Eckler, Attorneys at Law, and Arthur Diestel of Spectra Energy. Doug Lane, chair of the Stark County Chamber Association and president of the North Canton Area Chamber of Commerce, will emcee.

The event will take place Nov. 11 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Tozzi's on 12th. Admission is free and hors d'oeuvres, beer and wine will be available. Registration is requested for planning purposes.

Sponsorships are $200 and include a display table at the event.

For more information or to register, visit www.choosestark.com.