Experts from across the board joined together recently to
discuss the effects that oil and natural gas drilling will have
in Columbiana and Mahoning counties, the state, and even the
nation. The experts, representing Youngstown State University,
the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Environmental
Council, and Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program, spoke
during a seminar at the university. The purpose of the seminar
was to generate more understanding about the drilling process
and topics covered included its history-which dates back to the
early 1900s, whether injection wells are related to earthquakes,
whether enough water is available to continue the hydraulic
fracturing process, and how the process affects the environment
and economy. University Professor Dr. Jeffrey Dick, who
specializes in engineering geology, hydrogeology, geophysics,
and petroleum geology, said drilling has only recently
"skyrocketed" over the last two years. He said there have been
more than 270,000 natural gas and crude o