Coshocton Residents Could Harbor Natural Gas Reserve

A large amount of natural gas it is thought to beneath the ground, 10TV's Andy Hirsch reported.

Projections put Coshocton on the western edge of the Utica Shale, a reserve of natural gas believed to be buried thousands of feet below ground in Ohio and other states. 

Drilling for the gas is one of the focuses at Governor John Kasich's  two-day Energy Summit in Columbus.

Extracting the gas involves drilling vertical and horizontal pipes and then flushing them with a mixture of sand, water and some chemicals, a process often referred to as fracking, Hirsch reported.

Some environmentalists argued that fracking threatens surrounding water supplies, and pointed to cases where people have experienced impaired water quality.

One study predicts it could bring more than 200,000 jobs and billions of dollars to Ohio.

While Coshocton landowners such as Dick Borden and his brother, Bob would stand to profit greatly from leasing rights and royalties, Dick Borden said he is concerned about possible harmful consequences.

"That's lifeblood right there," Dick Borden said.

Kasich said addressing those concerns is a top priority. He also put the brakes on what can seem like an uncontrollable optimism about Ohio’s natural gas supply.

“I don't want to say that it's going to be a grand slam when we don't even have the bases loaded yet but it sure looks good,” Kasich said.

He said it's a great resource that will bring jobs and boost the economy but it will not happen overnight.

“If it comes it comes, if it doesn't it doesn't,” Dick Borden said.

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