Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining the 

Presence of Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas 

above the Marcellus Shale in Chemung, Tioga, 

and Broome Counties, New York

Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5224

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
Cover. Gas-well drilling rig, Broome County, New York. Photograph by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 2005.
Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining 

the Presence of Freshwater, Saltwater, 

and Gas above the Marcellus Shale in 

Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties, 

New York

By John H. Williams

Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5224

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

KEN SALAZAR, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Marcia K. McNutt, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2010

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reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report.

Suggested citation:

Williams, J.H., 2010, Evaluation of well logs for determining the presence of freshwater, saltwater, and gas above the 

Marcellus Shale in Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations 

Report 2010–5224, 27 p., at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2010/5224/.
iii

Contents

Abstract...........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1

Descriptions of the Well Databases and Methods ..................................................................................3

Description of the Geologic Formations ....................................................................................................3

Description of the Wells ...............................................................................................................................9

Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas above the Marcellus Shale...............................................................12

Preliminary Conclusions.............................................................................................................................12

Considerations for Future Water and Gas Logging................................................................................16

References Cited..........................................................................................................................................18

Appendix 1. Log Summary for Water Wells in the National Water Information System that 

Penetrated Saltwater and (or) Gas in Cheming, Tioga, and Broome Counties, 

New York, 2010................................................................................................................................19

Appendix 2. Log Summary for Gas Wells in the Empire State Oil and Gas System that 

Penetrated Freshwater, Saltwater, and (or) Gas above the Marcellus Shale in 

Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties, New York, 2010 ........................................................22

Figures

1. Map showing location of Marcellus Shale gas play in New York State and study area 

in Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties................................................................................2

2. Map showing location of water wells in the U.S. Geological Survey National Water 

Information System in the study area, 2010 .............................................................................4

3. Map showing location of gas wells in the New York State Museum Empire State Oil 

and Gas Information System (ESOGIS) in the study area, 2010 ............................................5

4. Diagram showing generalized north-south section with bedrock formations in 

south-central New York...............................................................................................................6

5. Map showing surficial geology of the study area, Chemung, Tioga, and Broome 

Counties, New York ......................................................................................................................7

6. Map showing bedrock geology of the study area, Chemung, Tioga, and Broome 

Counties, New York ......................................................................................................................8

7. Diagrams showing schematics of water-well completions: (A) screened well, 

(B) open-end well, and (C) open-hole well...............................................................................9

8. Diagrams showing schematics of gas-well completions: (A) vertical well with conductor, surface, and production casings; (B) horizontal well with conductor, surface, 

intermediate, and production casings; and (C) horizontal well with conductor, surface, 

and production casings .............................................................................................................10

9. Map showing location of water wells that penetrated saltwater and gas wells that 

penetrated freshwater in the study area................................................................................13

10. Graphs showing number and depth of freshwater zones penetrated by gas wells in 

the study area: (A) linear scale and (B) log scale ................................................................14

11. Map showing location of gas and water wells that penetrated gas above the 

Marcellus Shale in the study area...........................................................................................15
iv

12. Graph showing number and depth of gas zones above the Marcellus Shale 

penetrated by gas wells in the study area .............................................................................16

13. Diagram showing gamma, induction conductivity, caliper, specific conductance, 

and temperature logs from a water well that penetrated saltwater below 300 feet in 

Upper Devonian bedrock, western New York........................................................................17

Conversion Factors, Datums, and Abbreviations

Inch/Pound to SI

Multiply By To obtain

Length

inch (in.) 2.54 centimeter (cm)

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

Flow rate

gallon per minute (gal/min) 0.06309 liter per second (L/s)

Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) may be converted to degrees Celsius (°C) as follows:

 °C = (°F–32)/1.8.

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929.

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983.

Specific conductance of water is given in microsiemens per centimeter (μS/cm).

Concentrations of chemical constituents in water are given in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

Induction conductivity is given in millisiemens per meter (mS/m).

Gamma is given in counts per second (cps).

ABBREVIATIONS USED IN REPORT

ESOGIS Empire State Oil and Gas Information System

NWIS National Water Information System

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

NYSM New York State Museum

NYSDEC New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining the Presence 

of Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas above the Marcellus 

Shale in Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties, New York

By John H. Williams

Abstract

Recent technological advances in horizontal drilling 

and high-volume hydraulic fracturing have made the 

Marcellus Shale the newest gas-development target or play 

in the northern Appalachian basin. Protection of freshwater 

aquifers from contamination by saltwater and gas during 

the development of the Marcellus Shale play is an issue of 

concern. Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties are in the 

southwestern part of the Marcellus Shale play in New York 

and likely will be the focus of drilling early in development of 

the play in the State. As a preliminary step in understanding 

and protecting the groundwater resource in the three-county 

area, logs of water wells in the U.S. Geological Survey 

National Water Information System and gas wells in the New 

York State Museum Empire State Oil and Gas Information 

System were evaluated for the determination of the presence 

of freshwater, saltwater, and gas above the Marcellus Shale. 

Results of the evaluation of the water- and gas-well 

logs indicate that freshwater aquifer zones are log normally 

distributed with depth in the three-county study area and that 

freshwater circulates to a greater depth in the uplands than 

in the valleys. The base of the freshwater aquifer appears to 

be about 800 feet below land surface in upland settings but 

only about 200 feet below land surface in valley settings. At 

depths greater than 200 feet in valley settings, groundwater in 

the Upper Devonian bedrock, and in a few areas in the glacial 

drift, is salty. Gas is present locally in the glacial drift, Upper 

Devonian bedrock, Tully Limestone, and Hamilton Group 

above the Marcellus Shale. The highest rates of gas flow 

above the Marcellus Shale may be associated with the Tully 

Limestone. The frequency of gas zones generally increases 

with depth in the Upper Devonian bedrock with pockets of gas 

locally present above the base of the freshwater aquifer. 

Consistent and complete reporting of freshwater, 

saltwater, and gas during the drilling of future Marcellus 

shale-gas wells would greatly improve existing information. 

Field measurement of specific conductance of water produced 

during drilling and specific-conductance and temperature 

wireline geophysical logging of open boreholes prior to 

surface-casing installation would enhance the value of the gaswell logs. Compilation and integration of information from 

water wells that are inventoried and sampled for water quality 

during gas development with data from ongoing county-wide 

and regional programs would provide an important database 

for understanding and protecting the freshwater aquifers.

Introduction

Recent technological advances in horizontal drilling and 

high-volume hydraulic fracturing have made the Marcellus 

Shale the newest gas-development target or play in the 

northern Appalachian basin. Chemung, Tioga, and Broome 

Counties are in the southwestern part of the Marcellus Shale 

play in New York and likely will be the focus of drilling early 

in development of the play in the State (fig. 1). Protection 

of freshwater aquifers from contamination by saltwater and 

gas during the development of the Marcellus Shale play is 

an issue of concern. As a preliminary step in understanding 

and protecting the groundwater resource, logs of water wells 

and gas wells in the three-county area were evaluated for the 

determination of the presence of freshwater, saltwater, and gas 

above the Marcellus Shale. 

This report describes the geologic formations and waterand gas-well completions in Chemung, Tioga, and Broome 

Counties, New York. A preliminary determination of the 

presence of freshwater, saltwater, and gas above the Marcellus 

Shale in the study area based on an evaluation of water- and 

gas-well logs is presented. Considerations for future water and 

gas logging during the drilling of Marcellus gas wells also 

are discussed.
2 Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining the Presence of Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas above the Marcellus Shale in NY ST.LAWRENCE FRANKLIN CLINTON ESSEX WARREN

WASHINGTON

SARATOGA

RENSSELAER

JEFFERSON

LEWIS

HERKIMER

HAMILTON

FULTON

ONEIDA

OSWEGO

ONONDAGA

MADISON

OTSEGO

CHENANGO

DELAWARE

SULLIVAN

MONTGOMERY SCHENECTADY

ALBANY

SCHOHARIE

PUTNAM ORANGE

WESTCHESTER ROCKLAND BRONX

NEW YORK

COLUMBIA GREENE BROOME TIOGA

CHEMUNG

STEUBEN

CORTLANDCAYUGA

TOMPKINS

SCHUYLER

ALLEGANY CATTARAUGUS CHAUTAUQUA

YATES SENECAONTARIO

WAYNE

MONROE

ORLEANS NIAGARA

ERIE

LIVINGSTON WYOMING

GENESEE

DUTCHESS

ULSTER

44 ̊43 ̊42 ̊41 ̊

78 ̊ 76 ̊ 74 ̊ 80 ̊

45 ̊

72 ̊

0 50 100 MILES

0 50 100 KILOMETERS

EXPLANATION

Marcellus Shale and Hamilton Group outcropArea of Marcellus Shale gas playMarcellus Shale subsurface extentStudy area

Figure 1. Location of Marcellus Shale gas play in New York State and study area in Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties. (Modified from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 2009.)
Description of the Geologic Formations 3

Descriptions of the Well Databases 

and Methods

Well logs were compiled from two databases, the U.S. 

Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information 

System (NWIS) and the New York State Museum (NYSM) 

Empire State Oil and Gas Information System (ESOGIS). The 

NWIS, which is maintained by the USGS New York Water 

Science Center, stores water-well logs that can be retrieved 

online from http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/inventory. The 

ESOGIS, which is maintained by the NYSM Reservoir 

Characterization Group, stores oil- and gas-well logs that can 

be retrieved online from http://esogis.nysm.nysed.gov/. 

Logs for more than 1,450 water wells stored in the 

NWIS (fig. 2) and logs for about 350 gas wells stored in the 

ESOGIS (fig. 3) were reviewed to obtain information on well 

completions, geologic formations penetrated by the wells, 

and the presence of freshwater, saltwater, and gas above 

the Marcellus Shale in the three-county study area. Most of 

the water wells recorded in the NWIS and almost all of the 

55 sites at which saltwater and (or) gas were present in the 

groundwater (appendix 1) were inventoried by Randall (1972) 

as part of valley-fill aquifer investigations in the 1960s and 

1970s. The presence of saltwater was reported by drillers or 

well owners based on taste tests or was determined by waterquality analyses that indicated a chloride concentration of 

greater than 250 mg/L. The presence of gas was reported by 

drillers or well owners or was observed during field inventory. 

The gas-well logs in the ESOGIS are for single- and 

multiple-well sites, wells whose confidential status had not 

expired (typically 2 years), and permitted but uncompleted 

wells. Because the formations above the Marcellus Shale have 

not been the focus of gas exploration, many of the gas-well 

logs contain little or no information on this stratigraphic 

interval. Ninety-three of the gas-well logs report penetration 

of water and (or) gas zones above the Marcellus Shale 

(appendix 2). Water flows were reported by gas-well drillers 

as freshwater or saltwater presumably based on taste tests. 

Water flows commonly were rated by the gas-well drillers 

in inches of the stream discharging from an open pipe into a 

mud pit while drilling with air. Reportedly, a 1-inch stream 

roughly equates to a flow of 10 to 20 gal/min, and a 2-inch 

stream roughly equates to a flow of 40 to 50 gal/min. Gas-flow 

rates generally were not quantified; those that were rated were 

reported in MCF (1,000 cubic feet), which presumably equates 

to the flow rate per day. 

The spatial and stratigraphic distributions of freshwater, 

saltwater, and gas above the Marcellus Shale were 

investigated through an analysis of the water- and gas-well 

logs. Geographic Information System (GIS) coverages and 

histograms of the well data were created using ARCGIS 

software to aid in this preliminary delineation.

Description of the Geologic Formations

South-central New York is underlain by sedimentary 

bedrock of Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, and Devonian 

age (fig. 4). The sedimentary bedrock gently dips to the south 

and is underlain by Precambrian crystalline bedrock. A deep 

exploratory well in Chemung County, purportedly the deepest 

cable-tool hole in the world at the time (1953), penetrated 

more than 11,000 ft of sedimentary bedrock, including 600 ft 

of the basal Cambrian formations. 

Glacial drift, including till and stratified deposits, 

discontinuously overlies the sedimentary bedrock in the study 

area. Till, an unsorted mixture of clay, silt, sand, and boulders, 

mantles the uplands. Stratified drift of lacustrine silt and 

clay, outwash sand and gravel, and ice-contact deposits fills 

the glacially scoured valleys (fig. 5). An extensive and thick 

deposit of moraine, which consists mostly of till and lacustrine 

silt and clay with scattered sand and gravel, is present in 

northwestern Chemung County. Saturated deposits of sand 

and gravel in the valleys form major aquifers that supply 

freshwater to small and large communities and base flow to 

streams. Although the valley fill reaches thicknesses of greater 

than 500 ft, the total thickness of saturated sand and gravel 

rarely exceeds 50 ft. More detailed information on the valleyfill aquifers in the study area is presented by Randall (1972), 

MacNish and Randall (1982), Randall and others (1988), and 

Miller (1988).

Sedimentary bedrock of Upper Devonian age underlies 

the study area (fig. 6). Sandstone, siltstone, and shale of the 

Java Group crop out in the southwestern corner of Chemung 

County. The shale, siltstone, and sandstone of the West 

Falls Group crop out in Chemung and Tioga Counties and 

the southern part of Broome County. Shale and siltstone of 

the Sonyea and Genesse Groups crop out in the northern 

part of Broome County and in the northernmost valleys of 

Tioga and Chemung Counties. Each of these formations 

generally coarsens upward and to the east. The Upper 

Devonian formations form a fractured-bedrock aquifer that 

supplies freshwater to many farms, rural homes, and small 

communities, as well as base flow to streams. Additional 

information on the Upper Devonian bedrock aquifers just to 

the south of the study area in Pennsylvania is presented by 

Williams and others (1998). 

The Tully Limestone (fig. 4), a key stratigraphic marker 

bed whose top is delineated in almost all of the gas-well 

logs, underlies the Upper Devonian bedrock. Below the 

Tully Limestone are shales and calcareous sandstones of the 

Hamilton Group. At the base of the Hamilton Group is the 

Marcellus Shale, a black, organic-rich shale. Although gas has 

been produced from the Marcellus Shale in New York since 

1931, the combination of horizontal drilling with high-volume 

hydraulic fracturing has made this formation the latest “hot” 

prospect in the State. 
4 Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining the Presence of Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas above the Marcellus Shale in NY 75°30' 76° 76°30' 77° 42°30' 42°

0 10 20 MILES0 10 20 KILOMETERS

EXPLANATION

Water well in the NWIS

New York

Study Area

Figure 2. Location of water wells in the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System in the study area, 2010.
Description of the Geologic Formations 

5

75°30' 76° 76°30' 77° 42°30'

42°

0 10 20 MILES0 10 20 KILOMETERS

EXPLANATION

Gas well in the ESOGIS

New York

Study Area

Figure 3. Location of gas wells in the New York State Museum Empire State Oil and Gas Information System (ESOGIS) in the study area, 2010.
6 Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining the Presence of Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas above the Marcellus Shale in NY

250 500

2,000

0

0 1,000 4,000 FEET

1,000 METERS

2,000

0

1,000

-2,000

-1,000

-3,000

-5,000

-6,000

-7,000

-4,000

-8,000

-10,000

-9,000

Devonian

Silurian

Ordovician

Age

Cambrian

Sandstone

Sandstoneandshale

Crystallinebasement

EXPLANATION

Shale

Limestone

Dolomite

Evaporites

West Falls Genessee

Hamilton Tully

Marcellus

Clinton

Medina

Lorraine

Potsdam

Galway

Little Falls

Black River

Utica

Salina Oriskany Helderberg

Lockport

Queenston

Trenton

Beekmantown

FEET

Sonyea

Onondaga

Figure 4. Generalized north-south section with bedrock formations in south-central 

New York. (Modified from New York State Museum, 2009.)
Description of the Geologic Formations 

7

Figure 5. Surficial geology of the study area, Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties, New York. (Modified from Cadwell and others, 1986.)

OutwashIce-contact depositsMoraine

75°30' 76° 76°30' 77° 42°30'

42°

0 10 20 MILES0 10 20 KILOMETERS

EXPLANATION

New York

Study Area
8 Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining the Presence of Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas above the Marcellus Shale in NY 75°30' 76° 76°30' 77° 42°30' 42°

0 10 20 MILES0 10 20 KILOMETERS

EXPLANATION

New York

Study Area

Java GroupWest Falls GroupSonyea GroupGenessee Group

Figure 6. Bedrock geology of the study area, Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties, New York. (Modified from Fisher and others, 1970.)
Description of the Wells 9

Historically, gas production in the study area mainly 

has been from three formations that lie below the Marcellus 

Shale—the Oriskany, Helderberg, and Trenton-Black River. 

The Oriskany Sandstone of Lower Devonian age is typically 

a fossiliferous, quartz-rich sandstone cemented with quartz 

or calcite. The Oriskany, which has intergranular and fracture 

porosity, has been a widespread gas producer in New York and 

throughout the Appalachian basin. Many of the exploration 

wells completed in the Oriskany produced saltwater in 

addition to, or instead of, gas. The carbonate rocks of the 

Helderberg Group, also of Lower Devonian age, lies below 

the Oriskany Sandstone and locally have been an important 

gas producer. Deep gas reservoirs have been developed in 

the Upper Ordovician Trenton and Black River Groups in 

patchy dolomite matrix and brecciated zones along faultrelated structural lows. The Utica Shale, which lies above the 

Trenton and Black River Groups, is a black, organic-rich shale 

that is receiving considerable interest as a low-permeability 

unconventional gas play similar to that of the Marcellus Shale. 

Description of the Wells

Water wells in the study area are completed in glacial 

drift or the Upper Devonian bedrock. Municipal-supply and 

other high-yield wells are screened in glacial sand-and-gravel 

aquifers commonly present along river and major stream 

valleys (fig. 7). Farm- and home-use wells tap sand-and-gravel 

aquifers through open-end casing. Wells that tap bedrock are 

cased to competent rock and completed as open holes. 

Until 2000, gas wells in the study area were drilled as 

vertical boreholes. Since then, many have been completed as 

horizontal wells to maximize production from target horizons. 

Both vertical (fig. 8A) and horizontal (figs. 8B–C) wells have 

multiple casings. The uppermost casing is called the conductor 

casing and is set to competent bedrock to provide for stable 

drilling conditions. The next casing interval is the surface 

casing, which is set to a prescribed depth below the freshwater 

aquifer. The wellbore annular spacing is cemented from the 

base of the surface casing to land surface. If drilling conditions 

dictate, an intermediate casing may be set inside the surface 

casing (fig. 8B). Finally, the production casing is set inside 

the surface casing, and if present, the intermediate casing, 

to the targeted gas horizon. The wellbore annular spacing of 

the intermediate and production casings typically has been 

cemented one to several thousand feet above the base of the 

casings (figs. 8A–B). As presently drafted, the New York 

State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) 

regulations for horizontal wells with high-volume hydraulic 

fracturing in shale will require that the production casing be 

cemented to land surface (fig. 8C) if no intermediate casing 

is installed (New York State Department of Environmental 

Conservation, 2009). 

A Screened well

Land surface

Water table casing screen

Sand and gravel

aquifer

Silt and clay

B Open-end well

Silty sand and gravel

Potentiometric surface

Silt and clay

Land surface casing

Confined

sand and gravel

aquifer

C Open-hole well

Potentiometric surface casing

Land surface

Water-bearing

fractures

Bedrock

Till

Figure 7. Schematics of water-well completions: (A) screened well, (B) open-end well, and (C) open-hole well (Modified from 

Williams and others, 1998).
10 Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining the Presence of Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas above the Marcellus Shale in NY

Top of cement - 0 feet

Bottom of conductor casing - 50 feet

Bottom of surface casing - 800 feet

Top of cement - 3,250 feet

Bottom of production casing - 4,250 feet

A

Top of cement - 0 feet

Bottom of conductor casing - 50 feet

Bottom of surface casing - 1,000 feet

Top of cement - 3,000 feet

Bottom of production casing - 10,500 feet

Top of cement - 8,500 feet

Bottom of intermediate casing - 6,750 feet

4,000 foot long open-hole leg

B

Figure 8. Schematics of gas-well completions: (A) vertical well with conductor, surface, and production casings; (B) horizontal well 

with conductor, surface, intermediate, and production casings; and (C) horizontal well with conductor, surface, and production casings.
Description of the Wells 11

C

Top of cement - 0 feet

Bottom of conductor casing - 50 feet

Bottom of surface casing - 1,000 feet

Bottom of production casing - 3,500 feet

4,000 foot long perforated leg

Figure 8. Schematics of gas-well completions: (A) vertical well with conductor, surface, and production casings; (B) horizontal 

well with conductor, surface, intermediate, and production casings; and (C) horizontal well with conductor, surface, and production 

casings.—Continued
12 Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining the Presence of Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas above the Marcellus Shale in NY

Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas above 

the Marcellus Shale

The presence and distribution of freshwater, saltwater, 

and gas above the Marcellus Shale were investigated through 

analysis of the water- and gas-well logs (appendixes 1 and 

2). Seventy-four gas wells penetrated 123 freshwater zones 

in glacial drift and Upper Devonian bedrock at depths of 

12 to 784 ft below land surface (fig. 9). About 75 percent 

of the freshwater zones were penetrated at depths of 150 ft 

or less below land surface (fig. 10). The distribution of the 

freshwater-zone depths approached a log-normal distribution. 

Nine of the 10 gas wells that penetrated freshwater at depths 

greater than 500 ft below land surface are in upland bedrock 

settings. The one exception is a gas well that penetrated a 

highly confined sand-and-gravel aquifer buried beneath 700 ft 

of morainal deposits, which consist of lacustrine silt and clay 

with some till near land surface. 

Forty-six water wells penetrated saltwater zones at 

depths of 56 to 520 ft below land surface (fig. 9). Two of 

these wells penetrated saltwater in glacial drift; the rest 

penetrated saltwater in Upper Devonian bedrock. Most of 

the salty water wells penetrated saltwater zones in the Upper 

Devonian bedrock at depths of 140 to 260 ft below land 

surface. All the water wells that penetrated saltwater were 

in river, major stream, or upland-tributary valleys. Sixteen 

gas wells penetrated saltwater at depths of 500 to 3,400 ft 

below land surface. Thirteen gas wells penetrated saltwater in 

Upper Devonian bedrock; most of these saltwater zones are at 

depths between 1,500 and 2,000 ft below land surface. Three 

gas wells penetrated saltwater in the Tully Limestone and 

Hamilton Group above the Marcellus Shale. 

Thirty-two gas wells penetrated 49 gas zones above 

the Marcellus Shale at depths of 263 to 2,281 ft below land 

surface (figs. 11 and 12). Eighty percent of the gas zones are 

in the Upper Devonian bedrock, and the rest are in the Tully 

Limestone and Hamilton Group above the Marcellus Shale. 

The frequency of gas zones increased with increasing depth 

to about 1,500 ft. Of the six gas zones that were rated, which 

likely correspond to higher flow shows, four are in the Tully 

Limestone. Ten water wells penetrated gas at depths of 49 to 

438 ft below land surface. Two of these wells penetrated 

gas in glacial drift, the rest penetrated gas in Upper 

Devonian bedrock. 

Preliminary Conclusions

Well logs in the ESOGIS and NWIS databases provide 

a preliminary but incomplete determination of freshwater, 

saltwater, and gas above the Marcellus Shale in the study 

area. Results of the evaluation of the well logs indicate that 

freshwater aquifer zones are log normally distributed with 

depth and that freshwater circulates to a greater depth in 

the uplands than in the valleys. The base of the freshwater 

aquifer appears to be about 800 ft below land surface in 

upland settings but only about 200 ft below land surface in 

valley settings. At depths greater than 200 ft in valley settings, 

groundwater in the Upper Devonian bedrock and in a few 

areas in the glacial drift is salty. Gas is present locally in the 

glacial drift, Upper Devonian bedrock, Tully Limestone, and 

Hamilton Group above the Marcellus Shale. The highest rates 

of gas flow above the Marcellus Shale may be associated with 

the Tully Limestone. The frequency of gas shows generally 

increases with depth in the Upper Devonian bedrock 

with pockets of gas locally present above the base of the 

freshwater aquifer. 
Preliminary Conclusions 13

75°30' 76° 76°30' 77° 42°30'

42°

0 10 20 MILES0 10 20 KILOMETERS

New York

Study Area

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EXPLANATION

Water well that penetrated saltwaterwithin indicated depths, in feet

56 to 139140 to 260261 to 520

Gas well that penetrated freshwaterwithin indicated depths, in feet

12 to 149155 to 500520 to 784

Figure 9. Location of water wells that penetrated saltwater and gas wells that penetrated freshwater in the study area.
14 Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining the Presence of Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas above the Marcellus Shale in NY

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

150 300 450 600 750 900

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

12 18 28 42 64 97 147 224 334 516 784

0

DEPTHBELOWLANDSURFACE,IN FEET

NUMBER OF FRESHWATER ZONES

NUMBER OF FRESHWATER ZONES

A

B

DEPTHBELOWLANDSURFACE,IN FEET

Figure 10. Number and depth of freshwater zones penetrated by gas wells in the study 

area: (A) linear scale and (B) log scale.
Preliminary Conclusions 15

75°30' 76° 76°30' 77° 42°30'

42°

0 10 20 MILES0 10 20 KILOMETERS

New York

Study Area

EXPLANATION

Gas well that penetrated gas in indicatedstratigraphic interval

Upper Devonian bedrockTully Limestone and Hamilton Groupabove Marcellus ShaleBoth stratigraphic intervals above

Water well that penetrated gas in indicatedstratigraphic interval

Glacial driftUpper Devonian bedrock

Figure 11. Location of gas and water wells that penetrated gas above the Marcellus Shale in the study area.
16 Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining the Presence of Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas above the Marcellus Shale in NY

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

250

DEPTH BELOW LAND SURFACE, IN FEET

NUMBER OF GAS ZONES

1,000750500 1,250 1,500 1,750 2,000 2,250 2,500

Figure 12. Number and depth of gas zones above the Marcellus 

Shale penetrated by gas wells in the study area.

Considerations for Future Water and 

Gas Logging

In the future, extensive drilling likely will occur in the 

Marcellus Shale play in New York, including areas in the 

eastern part that have not undergone any substantial gas 

development to date. Consistent and complete reporting of 

freshwater, saltwater, and gas during the drilling of Marcellus 

Shale gas wells would greatly expand the existing databases. 

Measurement and reporting of field specific conductance of 

water produced during drilling would enhance the value of 

the gas-well logs that presently only classify the water as 

fresh or salty. Specific-conductance and temperature logging 

of open boreholes prior to surface-casing installation with a 

portable, wireline geophysical logger commonly used in the 

groundwater industry (fig. 13) would be an efficient and highly 

sensitive means to help delineate freshwater, saltwater, and gas 

shows at Marcellus Shale gas-drilling sites. 

As presently drafted (2010), NYSDEC regulations for 

horizontal gas wells with high-volume hydraulic fracturing 

in shale require that water wells within 1,000 ft of the gasdrilling sites (or 2,000 if no wells are present within 1,000 ft) 

be sampled before drilling and at 3-month intervals for a year 

following fracturing operations (New York State Department 

of Environmental Conservation, 2009). The presence of 

nearby water wells is to be determined by review of available 

water-well logs along with field inventory. In addition to 

the well data available in the NWIS, the NYSDEC Water 

Well Program (available online at http://www.dec.ny.gov/

lands/33317.html) stores location and construction records 

for water wells drilled since 2000. The water-quality samples 

from the selected water wells are to be analyzed for a wide 

range of constituents, including potential gas-drilling related 

contaminants such as chloride, barium, gross alpha activity, 

and methane. Compilation and integration of the water-well 

records and water-quality analyses related to gas development 

with other data from county-wide and regional sampling 

programs, such as the NYSDEC-USGS rotating basin project 

(Hetcher-Aguila, 2005; Hetcher-Aguila and Eckhardt, 2006; 

Nystrom, 2007; 2008), would provide an important database 

for documenting baseline conditions and any potential effects 

from drilling and hydraulic fracturing. These data could be 

made available to all agencies, gas producers, and the general 

public with the ultimate goal of promoting the understanding 

and protection of the freshwater aquifers in the Marcellus 

Shale play area. 
Considerations for Future Water and Gas Logging 17

Figure 13. Gamma, induction conductivity, caliper, specific conductance, and temperature logs from a water well that penetrated 

saltwater below 300 feet in Upper Devonian bedrock, western New York.

1:450 5.5 Inch 7.5

Gamma

100 CPS 225 20 mS/m 80 0 μS/cm 3,500 47 Deg F 51.5

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Depth Induction Conductivity Caliper Specific Conductance Temperature
18 Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining the Presence of Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas above the Marcellus Shale in NY

References Cited

Cadwell, D.H., and others, 1986, Surficial geologic map of 

New York: New York State Museum and Science Service 

Map and Chart Series No. 40, 1:250,000 scale.

Fisher, D.W., Isachsen, Y.W., and Rickard, L.V., 1970, 

Geologic map of New York: New York State Museum 

and Science Service Map and Chart Series No. 15, 

1:250,000 scale. 

Hetcher-Aguila, K.K., 2005, Ground-water quality in the 

Chemung River Basin, New York, 2003: U.S. Geological 

Survey Open-File Report 2004–1329, 19 p.

Hetcher-Aguila, K.K., and Eckhardt, D.A.V., 2006, 

Ground-water quality in the upper Susquehanna River 

Basin, New York, 2004–05: U.S. Geological Survey 

Open-File Report 2006–1161, 21 p.

MacNish, R.D., and Randall, A.D., 1982, Stratified-drift 

aquifers in the Susquehanna River basin, New York: 

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 

Bulletin 75, 68 p.

Miller, T.S., 1988, Unconsolidated aquifers in upstate New 

York—Finger Lakes sheet: U.S. Geological Survey WaterResources Investigations Report 87–4122, 1:250,000 scale.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 

2009, Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact 

Statement on the Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Regulatory 

Program—Well permit issuance for horizontal drilling and 

high-volume hydraulic fracturing to develop the Marcellus 

Shale and other low-permeability gas reservoirs: Albany, 

NY, New York State Department of Environmental 

Conservation.

New York State Museum Reservoir Characterization Group, 

2009, Schematic north-south cross section Finger Lakes 

Region of New York State: Albany, NY, New York State 

Museum Reservoir Characterization Group. 

Nystrom, E.A., 2007, Ground-water quality in the 

Delaware River Basin, New York, 2001 and 2005–06: 

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007–1098, 37 p.

Nystrom, E.A., 2008, Ground-water quality in the Mohawk 

River Basin, New York, 2006: U.S. Geological Survey 

Open-File Report 2008–1086, 33 p.

Randall, A.D., 1972, Records of wells and test borings in 

the Susquehanna River basin, New York: New York State 

Department of Environmental Conservation Bulletin 69, 

92 p.

Randall, A.D., Snavely, D.S., Holecek, T.P., and Waller, R.M., 

1988, Alternate sources of large seasonal ground-water 

supplies in the headwaters of the Susquehanna River basin, 

New York: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources 

Investigations Report 85–4127, 121 p.

Williams, J.H., Taylor, L.E., and Low, D.J., 1998, 

Hydrogeology and groundwater quality of the glaciated 

valleys of Bradford, Tioga, and Potter Counties, 

Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Topographic and Geologic 

Survey Water Resources Report 68, 89 p.
Appendix 1 19

Appendix 1. Log summary for water wells in the National Water Information System that penetrated saltwater and (or) gas in Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties, New York, 2010.—Continued[--, no data; ft, feet; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; gal/min, gallons per minute; Corp., Corporation]

Well 

name1 Well number2 Lati- tude3 Longi- tude3 Alti- tude4 Owner County Forma- tion Com- pletion date Well depth5 Cas- ing depth6 Top of bed- rock7 Fresh- water8 Salt- water9 Gas10 Remarks

Bm 1 420014075454501 42.0040 -75.7621 870 Beam Broome Glacial 

drift

1964 37 37 95 37 95 -- Salty water in bedrock 95–100 ft.

Bm 3 420019076002002 42.0054 -76.0052 1,025 Vestal Water 

District 7

Broome West Falls 1959 200 90 87 -- 200 -- Salty water, 660–1,120 mg/L chloride.

Bm 5 420124075512201 42.0234 -75.8557 1,048 Roser Broome West Falls 1958 117 57 -- -- 117 -- Salty water, plugged and casing pulled; well 80 ft 

east supplies house, drilled 1954, reported 101 ft deep and salty.

Bm 6 420124075512202 42.0234 -75.8557 1,048 Roser Broome Glacial 

drift

1960 48 56 -- -- 56 -- Field specific conductance 4,700 μS/cm, depth 

56 ft when drilled.

Bm 8 420143075533701 42.0287 -75.8932 1,180 Brookside 

School

Broome West Falls 1956 242 111 -- -- 242 -- Good water when drilled, later became salty and 

plugged.

Bm 25 420353075561901 42.0648 -75.9383 1,415 Faith Baptist 

Church

Broome West Falls 1965 526 90 -- -- 250 -- 7 gal/min enters above 250 ft; first use 1966: salty, 

iron, sulfur, hard; 10 days later chloride less than 12 mg/L, iron 0.7 mg/L, hardness 9 mg/L; good 1966–68 except salty when fill pool.

Bm 64 420521075491601 42.0892 -75.8207 900 Wheeler Broome Glacial 

drift

-- 90 90 -- 90 476 -- Till at land surface; salty water in previous well, 

reported 476 ft deep, destroyed.

Bm 69 420523076061901 42.0898 -76.1049 1,060 Turecek Broome West Falls 1963 203 90 -- -- 90 -- Hardpan 0–90 ft; saltwater, plugged; 3 later wells 

nearby, depths 150–305 ft, saltwater at bottom of each.

Bm 72 420524076061501 42.0901 -76.1038 1,090 Turecek Broome West Falls 1963 230 -- -- -- 230 -- Saltwater, one of 5 salty wells on this property, see 

420523076061901.

Bm 76 420526076062101 42.0906 -76.1055 1,080 Durr Broome West Falls 1961 402 113 -- 150 225 -- Water hard? and salty; 1.5 gal/min (reported good) 

enters at about 150 ft, more below 225 ft, tried to plug at 160 ft, failed, well capped.

Bm 80 420530075492501 42.0917 -75.8232 856 Palombo Broome Sonyea 1945 424 -- -- 31 100 -- Saltwater, worse with depth, first well drilled 1935, 

salty, no data, destroyed; 3 other wells 1945, all about 100 ft deep, all salty; driven well 31 ft deep, good water.

Bm 93 420544075491801 42.0956 -75.8213 851 Town of 

Kirkwood

Broome Sonyea 1962 140 -- -- 46 140 -- Saltwater, enters at 140? ft; depth 46 ft, 30 gal/min 

February 1961; failed 1962, deepened.

Bm 94 420545075493101 42.0959 -75.8249 858 State 

Hospital

Broome Sonyea 1910 238 -- -- -- 238 238 Flow 0.3 gal/min, salty, field specific conductance 

27,500 μS/cm; gas, used for stove and light in cottage until 1925.

Bm 104 420554075504401 42.0984 -75.8452 850 Giles Broome Glacial 

drift

1963 30 30 -- 30 75 -- Drilled to 75 ft, 10 gal/min salty water from gravel, 

plugged back with clay.

Bm 123 420601075510701 42.1004 -75.8516 851 Ensinger Broome Glacial 

drift

1948 35 35 90 148 168 -- Drilled to 168 ft, very mineralized; plugged to 

148 ft, taste ok; used 1 year, dynamited at 55 ft (got fine sand) and at 35 ft (got water).

Bm 146 420616075544701 42.1045 -75.9127 845 General Ice 

Cream

Broome Sonyea 1950 438 93 -- -- -- 438 Yield inadequate, produced gas.

Bm 254 420847075562701 42.1465 -75.9405 995 Roberts Broome Glacial 

drift

-- 30 -- -- 30 170 -- Strong hydrogen sulfide, also iron turns water 

orange if add bleach; a 170 ft well on this property, water salty to taste.

Bm 267 420909076035701 42.1526 -76.0655 895 Moyer Broome Sonyea 1958 100 -- -- 50 110 -- Water enters at about 50 ft, drilled to about 110 ft, 

water somewhat salty, plugged back.
20 Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining the Presence of Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas above the Marcellus Shale in NY Appendix 1. Log summary for water wells in the National Water Information System that penetrated saltwater and (or) gas in Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties, New York, 2010.—Continued [--, no data; ft, feet; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; gal/min, gallons per minute; Corp., Corporation] Well name1 Well number2 Lati- tude3 Longi- tude3 Alti- tude4 Owner County Forma- tion Com- pletion date Well depth5 Cas- ing depth6 Top of bed- rock7 Fresh- water8 Salt- water9 Gas10 Remarks Bm 281 420955075531101 42.1654 -75.8860 870 Specialty Foods Broome Sonyea 1955 194 130 -- 190 300 -- Drilled below 190 ft, obtained saltwater (300 ft?), plugged back, pumped, water did not clear. Bm 288 421012075501201 42.1701 -75.8363 920 Harris Broome Sonyea 1953 139 40 -- 139 164 -- Drilled to 164 ft, 30 gal/min, salty; plugged to 139 ft with wood and sand; until plugged, well next door (148 ft deep) turned salty. Bm 324 421150075494601 42.1973 -75.8291 895 Ramsey Broome Sonyea 1963 192 180 -- 192 210 -- Drilled 210 ft, 30 gal/min salty water; plugged to 192 ft with cement, no longer salty. Bm 340 421242076023301 42.2117 -76.0421 935 Richardson Broome Sonyea 1964 152 110 100 -- 152 -- Partial chemical analyses, salty water; 4,510 mg/L chloride. Bm 355 421436075510301 42.2434 -75.8505 905 Chenango Forks School Broome Genesse 1953 142 32 -- -- 142 -- Depth approximated, water reported unpotable; salty, sulfurous, hard. Bm 364 421535076003001 42.2598 -76.0080 995 Lamb Broome Sonyea 1948 140 60 60 33 101 -- Saltwater, reported 5,600 mg/L chloride, enters at 101 ft, well capped and buried. Bm 387 422150076002101 42.3640 -76.0055 1,125 Hand Broome Genesse 1965 521 123 -- -- 520 -- Saltwater entered at 520 ft, plugged with concrete and sand; house supplied by spring at base of bluff to the east. Bm 431 420916075562801 42.1545 -75.9408 1,034 Harendza Broome Sonyea 1964 96 60 -- -- -- 96 Hard, slight H2S, gas bubbles when drawn. Bm 435 420917075563301 42.1548 -75.9421 1,077 Harvilla Broome Sonyea 1963 148 50 -- -- -- 148 Cloudy most of the time, replace cartridge every 3 weeks, natural gas. Bm 441 420847075562601 42.1465 -75.9402 990 -- Broome Sonyea -- 193 -- -- -- 193 -- Taste ok, gas, milky but clears fast, drew gallon and froze when partially melted too salty. Bm 445 420551075495701 42.0976 -75.8321 860 State Hospital Broome Sonyea 1925 182 -- 115 -- 198 -- Hardpan 0–115 ft, drilled to about 198 ft, water salty, 4,150 mg/L chloride, plugged back. Bm 451 420602075510201 42.1006 -75.8502 851 Seaton Broome Sonyea 1960 190 100 100 27 95 -- Saltwater at 190 ft; plugged back to 95 ft, poor water (reported salty) in gravel; use driven well 27 ft deep. Cm 11 420035076433901 42.0098 -76.7272 852 Village of Wellsburg Chemung West Falls 1957 175 99 91 106 175 -- Freshwater at 101 and 106 ft, saltwater at 175 ft, well plugged. Cm 17 420052076420501 42.0145 -76.7011 900 Tanner Chemung West Falls 1961 245 84 -- 138 245 -- Salty well at 245 ft, other well 138 ft deep is not salty. Cm 35 420213076521301 42.0370 -76.8700 1,000 Zepp Chemung Glacial drift 1965 105 -- 105 105 151 -- Fresh at 105 ft well depth, salty at 151 ft well depth. Cm 38 420306076445301 42.0517 -76.7477 985 Knapp Chemung West Falls 1942 326 -- -- -- 250 -- Fresh until 250 ft well depth. Cm 224 420950076524102 42.1640 -76.8777 983 County De- velopment Corp. Chemung West Falls 1961 205 181 -- -- 181 -- Saltwater at 181–205 ft. Cm 265 421159076483501 42.1998 -76.8094 975 Orton Chemung West Falls 1967 185 54 -- 126 180 -- Saltwater, entered at 180 ft, well filled with con- crete; other nearby wells less than 126 ft deep, not salty. Cm 267 421201076325801 42.2004 -76.5491 1,020 Isberg Chemung Glacial drift 1966 59 59 -- -- -- 50 Gas reported at about 50 ft.

Cm 268 421202076325701 42.2006 -76.5488 1,020 Asunma Chemung Glacial 

drift

1966 57 57 -- -- -- 49 Gas reported at about 49 ft.
Appendix 1 21

Appendix 1. Log summary for water wells in the National Water Information System that penetrated saltwater and (or) gas in Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties, New York, 2010.—Continued[--, no data; ft, feet; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; gal/min, gallons per minute; Corp., Corporation]

Well 

name1 Well number2 Lati- tude3 Longi- tude3 Alti- tude4 Owner County Forma- tion Com- pletion date Well depth5 Cas- ing depth6 Top of bed- rock7 Fresh- water8 Salt- water9 Gas10 Remarks

Cm 280 421313076354301 42.2204 -76.5949 1,045 Parke Chemung Glacial 

drift

1964 104 -- -- 100 256 -- Fresh at 100 ft, salty at 263 ft well depth.

Cm 286 421415076370101 42.2376 -76.6166 1,075 Louko Chemung West Falls 1953 250 -- -- 180 250 -- Fresh at 180 ft, salty at 250 ft well depth.Cm 641 420925076554501 42.1569 -76.9292 950 Riho Chemung West Falls -- 210 -- -- -- 210 -- Salty at 210 ft.Cm 642 421110076471801 42.1861 -76.7883 960 Olin Chemung West Falls -- 250 -- -- -- 250 -- Salty at 250 ft, chloride 1,630 mg/L?.Cm 643 421233076461401 42.2092 -76.7706 1,070 Russell Chemung West Falls -- 140 -- -- -- 140 -- Salty at 140 ft.Ti 258 420724076270401 42.1234 -76.4508 1,185 -- Tioga West Falls 1964 85 76 -- -- 76 -- Original depth 76 ft, water at 76 ft, 6-inch casing 

to 37 ft, flowed, later found to be salty; cased to 76 ft, deepened, still salty, unused.

Ti 271 420955076193901 42.1654 -76.3272 945 Osovski Tioga West Falls 1957 132 21 -- -- 132 -- First water at 51 ft, may be some salt and iron in 

water.

Ti 513 420029076310801 42.0081 -76.5186 822 Geppert Tioga West Falls 1962 228 80 80 -- 228 -- Salty water, not used for drinking; some nearby 

wells also have salty water; partial chemical analysis and lithologic log in Randall (1972).

Ti 521 420151076143301 42.0309 -76.2422 1,245 Rogers Tioga West Falls 1963 89 52 -- -- -- 89 Casing measured, some trash in well, original 

depth unknown; gas bubbles in water, land surface 3 ft above creek; chemical analysis in Randall (1972); total dissolved solids 456 mg/L, specific conductance 789 μS/cm, chloride 77 mg/L.

Ti 585 420351076211001 42.0642 -76.3524 805 -- Tioga West Falls -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Water salty, gas bubbles, flows 6 ft above grade; 

reportedly drilled for oil; similar well drilled nearby cut off while excavating creek channel.

Ti 586 420337076211301 42.0604 -76.3533 807 Fire District 

Training Center

Tioga West Falls 1954 -- 77 -- 78 122 -- Water enters at 78 ft, salty water at 122 ft, sulfurous water at 190 ft, plugged back.

Ti 703 421359076210601 42.2331 -76.3513 922 Czariecki Tioga Sonyea 1963 149 149 -- 100 149 149 Cemented gravel 0–30 ft, silt to very fine sand 

30 ft to top of rock; water unpotable, strong sulfur odor, gas, maybe slight salt; later well 165 ft east, end in gravel at about 100 ft.

Ti 704 421338076215801 42.2273 -76.3658 968 Goulart Tioga Sonyea 1965 170 70 70 -- -- 170 Water contains gas.Ti 731 421622076085501 42.2729 -76.1483 1,062 Jones Tioga Sonyea 1960 110 42 -- -- -- 85 Flammable gas entered at 85 ft, water mostly at 

greater depth, has objectionable odor.

1County sequential number assigned by the U.S. Geological Survey; prefixes Bm, Cm, and Ti indicate Broome, Chemung, and Tioga Counties, respectively.2Unique site identification number assigned by the U.S. Geological Survey.3Degrees and decimal degrees; North American Datum of 1983.4Altitude of land surface, in feet above sea level; National Geodetic Datum of 1929.5Depth of well, in feet below land surface.6Depth of casing, in feet below land surface.7Depth to the top of bedrock, in feet below land surface.8Depth of freshwater zone, in feet below land surface.9Depth of saltwater zone, in feet below land surface.

10Depth of gas zone, in feet below land surface.
22 Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining the Presence of Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas above the Marcellus Shale in NY

Appendix 2. Log summary for gas wells in the Empire State Oil and Gas System that penetrated freshwater, saltwater and (or) gas above 

[--, no data; ft, feet; Co., Company; Corp., Corporation; °F, degrees Fahrenheit; gal/min, gallons per minute]

Well name

Well 

number1Latitude2 Longitude2

Altitude3 Owner County Formation Completion 

date

Well 

depth4

Surface 

casing5

Chase Troy 

Chem Co. 1

00730 42.17580 -76.02458 830 National Drilling & 

Development

Broome -- -- 4,412 1,025 

Roger 1 01061 42.29185 -75.87700 970 -- Broome -- -- 2,000 -- 

Quarella 1 04854 42.39907 -75.88001 1,430 Genegantslet Gas & Oil Co. Broome Medina 1/20/1968 5,831 598 

Gerst 1 08342 42.39776 -75.89021 1,470 James V. Joyce/Dba Pipeline 

Co.

Broome Medina 10/2/1972 6,420 638 

Harder 1 21457 42.08272 -76.10383 1,150 Kidder Exploration, Inc. Broome Helderberg 7/26/1992 4,810 708 

V. of Endicott 1 21473 42.07769 -76.10143 821 Kidder Exploration, Inc. Broome Helderberg 8/7/1993 4,434 752 

Cirba 01 21499 42.14089 -75.84146 1,370 Quaker State Corp. Broome Helderberg 10/28/1993 5,230 717 

O’Neil 1 21554 42.12948 -75.82361 1,325 Quaker State Corp. Broome Helderberg 10/27/1994 5,025 100 

Beagell 01 21568 42.13628 -75.83284 1,400 Belden & Blake Corp. Broome Helderberg 10/29/1995 5,289 718 

Goozovat 1 21713 42.14680 -75.78444 1,485 Belden & Blake Corp. Broome Helderberg 11/28/1997 5,004 -- 

Wicks 2 22855 42.17396 -75.75028 1,105 Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. Broome Helderberg 12/17/2000 4,525 706 

Logs Unlimited 122856 42.16998 -75.73549 1,450 Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. Broome Helderberg 3/27/2001 4,952 804 

Pond 1 23032 42.24375 -76.04418 1,095 Phillips Production Co. Broome Black River 4/23/2004 8,990 519 

Butkowsky 1 23056 42.14282 -75.82491 1,470 Belden & Blake Corp. Broome Black River 10/11/2003 10,105 1,000 

Kesselring 1 00443 42.19864 -76.53773 1,077 Tremblay, Gail R. & Alan B. Chemung Oriskany 5/6/1953 11,145 -- 

Consolidated 

Brick Co. 1

00474 42.09775 -76.78581 1,002 Belmont Quadrangle Drilling Chemung Oriskany 3/22/1940 2,918 -- 

English 1 00508 42.20536 -76.54253 1,286 NYS Natural Gas Co. Chemung Oriskany 4/2/1938 3,362 -- 

Treat 1 00509 42.23691 -76.70516 1,659 Belmont Quadrangle Drilling Chemung Oriskany 12/13/1938 3,447 3,677 

Husted 00510 42.22114 -76.70218 1,512 NYS Natural Gas Co. Chemung Oriskany 9/12/1939 3,414 511 

Bennet 1 00513 42.10282 -76.68367 1,079 NYS Natural Gas Co. Chemung Oriskany 12/17/1939 3,463 -- 

Fasley Lot 2 00554 42.09179 -76.80020 858 Chemung Co. Chemung Marcellus 1/5/1944 2,720 -- 

Beebe 1 00595 42.22757 -76.78626 1,339 Appalachian Development Chemung Oriskany 10/30/1943 3,055 -- 

1_May 00597 42.23128 -76.82434 987 Appalachian Development Chemung Oriskany 9/2/1943 2,754 701 

Earle 00598 42.22785 -76.82471 989 Appalachian Development Chemung -- 5/18/1943 1,541 -- 

Turner 1 00599 42.22263 -76.79994 1,087 Dearth, G. and others Chemung -- 7/11/1931 3,085 -- 

Willis 1 00600 42.22347 -76.90397 1,277 Peterman Chemung -- 4/20/1932 3,135 -- 

Gregg 1 00601 42.09881 -76.78381 1,173 Belmont Quadrangle Drilling Chemung -- 5/2/1940 3,129 -- 

Shay 1 00607 42.09133 -76.79577 855 Rogers and others Chemung Oriskany 9/20/1941 2,732 -- 

Barcus 1 00610 42.09390 -76.78896 850 Kennedy Valve Chemung Oriskany 12/10/1940 2,712 1,506 

Barcus 2 00611 42.09103 -76.78544 843 Updegraff, C.H. & Nichols, 

W.M.

Chemung Oriskany 3/28/1941 3,306 -- 

Harder 1 00612 42.07076 -76.82307 956 Rogers and others Chemung Oriskany 1/27/1941 3,229 -- 

Fee 1 00613 42.09856 -76.78877 858 Malacoccio Chemung Oriskany 10/16/1940 2,772 -- 

Murphy 01056 42.23553 -76.88105 1,560 Catlin Oil Gas & Mineral Chemung -- 3/1/1903 2,201 -- 

Tobey 4 01057 42.09850 -76.90786 1,100 Tobey Oil Gas & Mineral Chemung -- 1/1/1921 710 291 

1_May 03974 42.05185 -76.88830 1,570 Hanley & Bird Chemung Oriskany 6/18/1959 4,319 955 

City of Elmira 1 04001 42.10855 -76.79688 866 Felmont Oil Corp. Chemung -- 8/1/1960 2,885 -- 

Callahan 04026 42.27624 -76.94501 1,637 Felmont Oil Corp. Chemung Oriskany 7/19/1960 3,183 -- 

Coleman 1 04087 42.22016 -76.76962 1,115 Delmont South Penn Chemung Oriskany 5/4/1961 2,969 -- 
Appendix 2 23

the Marcellus Shale in Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties, New York, 2010.—Continued

Intermediate 

casing6

Top of 

bedrock7

Top of 

Tully8

Top of 

Marcellus9

Fresh

water10

Salt

water Up 

Dev11

Salt

water 

Tully12

Gas Up Dev13 Gas 

Tully14 Remarks

-- -- 2,250 -- -- 850 -- -- -- 850–1,025 ft sand and much saltwater.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- 2,000 -- Salt spring or 30 ft salt well 1/4 mi away.

-- -- 1,440 -- 100 -- -- 867 -- Freshwater at 100 ft, strong gas show at 867 ft.

-- -- 1,487 -- 125, 317, 

595

920 -- 858, 920, 1,250 -- Freshwater at 125, 317, and 595 ft; saltwater at 920 ft; gas 

at 858, 920, and 1,250 ft.

-- -- 2,666 -- -- -- -- -- -- Gas shows in upper Devonian and Hamilton (depths not 

specified).

-- 125 2,336 -- -- -- -- -- -- Gas shows in upper Devonian (depths not specified).

-- -- 2,635 78 -- -- -- -- Shale at 0 ft, 1/2 inch stream at 78 ft.

700 30 2,704 -- 138 -- 3,400 -- -- Shale at 30 ft, 1/4 inch stream at 138 ft, brine at 3,400 ft.

-- -- 2,677 -- 88 -- -- -- -- 1/2 inch stream at 88 ft freshwater.

-- 42 2,600 -- 50, 100 -- -- -- -- Shale at 42 ft, water 1/4 inch at 50 ft, 1 inch at 100 ft.

-- 57 2,228 4,113 57, 85 -- -- -- -- Freshwater 12 gal/min in gravel at 57 ft, shale at 57 ft, damp 

at 85 ft.

-- 69 2,608 4,512 145, 370 -- -- -- -- 0–69 ft gravel, sand, and silt; shale at 69 ft, damp in shale at 

145 ft, freshwater at 370 ft.

2,509 -- 2,348 -- 590, 736 -- -- -- -- Show freshwater at 590 and 736 ft.

7,200 (4,500) -- 2,707 -- 200 -- -- -- -- Freshwater at 200 ft, conductor casing set to 40 ft, have 

wrong PDF file (W65 St A).

-- 54 1,620 2,770 -- -- -- 713, 868, 908 -- Large volume saltwater in Thersea, 5,000 ft saltwater at TD, 

deepest cable tool hole in the world, bottom hole temp, 

245°F.

-- -- 1,616 -- -- -- -- -- 1,704

-- 0 1,834 3,118 -- 1,019 -- 1,035 --

-- -- 2,125 -- -- -- -- -- -- Saltwater at 3,444 ft well filled up to 100 ft in 30 hours.

-- 27 2,065 3,187 115 -- -- -- -- 15 to 20 gal/min at 114–116 ft, 0–27 ft glacial drift.

-- 10 2,130 -- 55 -- -- -- -- Water at 55 ft in shale.

-- -- 1,474 -- -- -- -- -- -- 50 MCF shale gas at 2,310–2,525 ft, 260–88 MCF with 

6 barrels saltwater in black shale.

-- -- 1,773 -- -- 1,235 -- -- -- 800 ft of saltwater at 1,235 ft.

-- -- 1,528 -- 700 -- -- -- -- 700–701 ft gravel below 640 ft of clay, flowed at 

3,580 gal/min for 4 days, spurted up 8 ft in air from 

10 inch casing.

-- -- 1,518 -- -- -- -- -- -- Well abandoned in Tully limestone, well apparently in path 

of fault.

-- 40 1,560 2,675 -- -- -- 1,425, 1,560 -- Fault well? 800 MCF at 1,425–1,560 ft exhausted in 

10 days. Sulphur gas 95–115 ft and 340–347 ft.

-- 42 1,990 2,980 -- -- -- 350–450 -- Small gas flow between 350–450 ft.

-- -- 1,845 -- -- -- -- -- 1,928

-- -- 1,461 -- -- 500 -- -- -- Well on knee of fault, 500 ft saltwater 2 inch stream.

-- -- 1,455 -- -- 1,434 1,455 1,434 1,455 350 MCF in Tully and hole full of saltwater.

-- -- 1,450 -- -- -- -- -- 1,450 50 MCF in Tully.

-- 70 1,980 -- 125, 325 -- -- -- 1,980 0–70 ft clay and gravel, little water at 125 ft, lots of water at 

325 ft; 75 MCF in Tully.

-- -- 1,470 -- -- -- -- -- 1,470 75 MCF in Tully.

-- 17 1,764 -- -- 1,265 -- 1,718 -- Saltwater at 1,718 ft, gas at 1,265 ft and some oil at 1,763 ft.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- 610, 645 --

-- -- 3,125 4,110 -- -- -- 1,290, 1,334 -- Show of gas at 1,290–1,334 ft.

-- -- 1,595 -- -- -- -- -- 1,595 3 MCF in Tully.

-- -- 1,990 3,002 -- 1,780 -- 1,205 -- Show of gas at 1,205 ft blew down to nothing by time well 

got to 1,311 ft, 15 gallons saltwater overnight at 1,780 ft.

-- -- 1,552 2,635 -- -- -- 1,416 -- Gas pocket 1,416–1,426 ft.
24 Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining the Presence of Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas above the Marcellus Shale in NY

Appendix 2. Log summary for gas wells in the Empire State Oil and Gas System that penetrated freshwater, saltwater and (or) gas above 

[--, no data; ft, feet; Co., Company; Corp, Corporation; °F, degrees Fahrenheit; gal/min, gallons per minute]

Well name

Well 

number1Latitude2 Longitude2

Altitude3 Owner County Formation Completion 

date

Well 

depth4

Surface 

casing5

Haywood 1 04148 42.18817 -76.58296 1,490 Smith, Albert E. Chemung Oriskany 1/5/1962 3,406 1,275 

Erickson 1 04174 42.18806 -76.58143 1,229 New York Natural Gas Co. Chemung Oriskany 4/27/1962 3,262 236 

Baker 1 04179 42.18529 -76.57541 1,520 Fairman Drilling Co. Chemung Oriskany 4/25/1962 3,475 727 

Rumsey 1 04180 42.17980 -76.58290 1,487 Rumsey, Elizabeth A. Chemung Oriskany 4/26/1962 3,479 550 

Cotton & 

Hanlon 1

04191 42.17350 -76.61781 1,276 Fairman Drilling Co. Chemung Oriskany 7/24/1962 3,273 424 

Phytilia 1 04350 42.18652 -76.59094 1,441 New York Natural Gas Co. Chemung Oriskany 3/14/1963 3,409 496 

Boor 1 04863 42.25236 -76.77832 1,526 Rio Oil, Inc. Chemung Oriskany 7/21/1966 3,310 350 

Richards 1 04923 42.02254 -76.94674 1,240 Rio Oil, Inc. Chemung Oriskany 10/29/1966 4,149 380 

Held 1 06781 42.17925 -76.61866 1,325 Potter-Mckean Resources, 

Inc.

Chemung Oriskany 5/19/1969 3,311 348 

Hulsebosch 1 17318 42.08289 -76.77229 1,068 Hulsebosch, Adrian & Jessica Chemung Marcellus 8/23/1982 3,030 518 

Broz Unit 1 22826 42.27282 -76.77380 1,717 Fortuna Energy, Inc. Chemung Black River 3/19/2000 9,362 596 

Lovell 1323 22831 42.18682 -76.95820 1,490 Fortuna Energy, Inc. Chemung Black River 7/8/2000 9,386 944 

Whiteman 1 22839 42.28528 -76.91613 1,633 Fortuna Energy, Inc. Chemung Black River 7/8/2000 9,372 617 

Rhodes 1322 22853 42.19534 -76.92088 1,390 Fortuna Energy, Inc. Chemung Black River 2/8/2001 9,682 1,000 

Kimball 1 22857 42.27274 -76.79134 1,525 Fortuna Energy, Inc. Chemung Black River 10/11/2000 9,166 620 

Lant 1 22862 42.26828 -76.81321 1,116 Fortuna Energy, Inc. Chemung Black River 2/9/2001 9,330 634 

Kienzle 1 22880 42.27898 -76.81384 1,261 Fortuna Energy, Inc. Chemung Black River 8/7/2001 9,107 640 

Peterson 1 22890 42.28652 -76.89200 1,158 Fortuna Energy, Inc. Chemung Black River 10/2/2001 9,387 647 

Parker 1401 22891 42.23797 -76.93854 1,805 Fortuna Energy, Inc. Chemung Black River 7/19/2001 10,323 972 

Roy 1 22901 42.27141 -76.95672 1,221 Fortuna Energy, Inc. Chemung Black River 9/6/2001 9,487 652 

Lederer 1412 22902 42.25255 -76.86908 1,485 Pennsylvania General Energy Chemung -- 7/19/2001 9,602 1,034 

Gregory 1446 22918 42.20731 -76.88438 1,105 Pennsylvania General Energy Chemung Black River 12/14/2001 9,402 1,034 

Hardy 1447 22919 42.23742 -76.92014 1,730 Pennsylvania General Energy Chemung Black River 10/30/2001 9,859 1,005 

Johnson 1 22924 42.26898 -76.75087 1,491 Fairman Drilling Co. Chemung Black River 8/28/2001 9,803 663 

Chemung SRA 1 

Parcel A 1459

22960 42.24457 -76.90649 1,570 Fortuna Energy, Inc. Chemung Black River 5/1/2002 9,815 1,023 

Root 1514 22975 42.23859 -76.88994 1,345 Fortuna Energy, Inc. Chemung Black River 8/9/2002 9,608 1,019 

Strope 1516 22979 42.19864 -76.72390 1,285 Pennsylvania General Energy Chemung Black River 8/23/2002 9,745 1,018 

Stevens WE 1 00257 42.22236 -76.41965 965 NYS Natural Gas Corp. Tioga Oriskany 5/28/1947 3,150 -- 

Robinson 1 20425 42.12369 -76.19493 1,340 Quaker State Corp. Tioga Silurian 5/14/1987 5,236 417 
Appendix 2 25

the Marcellus Shale in Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties, New York, 2010.—Continued

Intermediate 

casing6

Top of 

bedrock7

Top of 

Tully8

Top of 

Marcellus9

Fresh 

water10

Salt 

water Up 

Dev11

Salt 

water 

Tully12

Gas Up Dev13 Gas 

Tully14 Remarks

-- -- 2,036 3,134 84, 120, 420 -- -- -- -- Freshwater at 84 ft, not enough to drill with, 120 ft hole full, 

hole full at 420 ft.

-- -- 1,795 -- 189 -- -- 730 -- No saltwater before Oriskany, gas show at 730 ft.

-- -- 2,093 -- 75, 155 -- -- 1,100 -- Freshwater at 75 and 155 ft in sandstone and shale, gas 

show 1,100–1,119 ft.

-- -- 2,091 -- 25, 137 -- -- -- -- Freshwater at 25 ft, hole full of water at 137 ft.

-- 40 1,857 -- 100 1,178 -- 360, 560, 950, -- 0–40 ft overburden, bailing freshwater at 100 ft, 5 gal/hour 

1,178 saltwater at 1,178 ft, gas shows at 360, 560, 950, and 

1,178 ft.

-- -- 2,017 3,110 85 -- -- -- 2,281 Freshwater at 85 ft, 52 MCF gas at 2,281–2,285 ft.

-- 34 2,033 3,060 80 -- -- 1,177 2,049 0–34 ft sand, clay, and gravel, good flow freshwater at 80 ft 

in shale, oil shows 550 and 2,049 ft.

-- 75 2,964 3,908 75, 88 549, 956 -- 623 -- 0–75 ft sand, gravel, and boulders, freshwater in gravel, 

freshwater at 88 ft in sandstone, saltwater at 549 and 

956 ft, gas show less than 20 MCF at 623 ft.

-- 75 1,910 3,057 101 -- -- -- -- Overburden 0–75 ft.

-- 80 1,770 2,875 77 1,350 -- 1,180, 1,285, -- Water in gravel at 77 ft, silty shale at 80 ft, perforated 

1,454, 1,502, 2,900–2,960 ft in Marcellus.

1,563, 1,612

5,680 (4,833) 15 2,391 -- 105 -- -- -- -- 0–15 ft clay, 2 inch stream freshwater at 105 ft in sandstone 

and shale.

6,662 89 2,412 -- 240 -- -- -- -- 15–89 ft clay and gravel, 4 inch stream of freshwater at 

240 ft in sandstone and shale.

5,618 (3,352) 26 1,822 2,832 25, 58 -- -- -- -- 1/2 inch stream freshwater at 25 ft in unconsolidated, 

2 inch stream freshwater at 58 ft in shale, shale 

26–405 ft, sandstone and shale 405–620 ft.

5,929 (2,000) 6 2,256 -- 328, 784 -- -- -- -- 0–6 ft fill, 1 inch stream of freshwater at 328 ft in sandstone, 

1 1/2 inchstream of freshwater at 784 ft in shale.

5,570 -- 2,153 -- 71 -- -- -- -- 2 inch stream freshwater at 71 ft in gravel.

5,176 (2,090) -- 1,792 2,855 50 -- -- -- -- Sandstone at 28 ft, 1/2 inch freshwater at 50 ft in sandstone.

5,874 (2,320) 28 1,916 2,973 60 -- -- -- -- 0–195 ft shale, 3 ft fresh at 60 ft.

5,142 (2,510) 0 1,487 2,510 22, 74 -- -- -- -- 1 inch freshwater stream at 22 ft, 4 inch stream freshwater at 

74 ft in gravel, base of gravel at 94 ft.

6,157 (3,400) 4 2,696 -- 30, 135, 480 -- -- -- -- Sandstone and shale 4–2,696 ft, 1/4 inch stream freshwater 

at 30 ft,1 inch stream at 135 ft and 1 inch stream at 

480 ft.

5,893 (3,200) 77 1,684 2,659 24, 47, 83, 1,190 -- -- -- 23–77 ft gravel, 77–1,684 ft shale, damp at 23 ft, 2 inch 

114, 120, fresh at 24 ft and 3 inch fresh at 47 ft, 2 inch fresh at 

203 83 ft, 3 inch fresh at 114 ft, 4 inch fresh at 120 ft, 3 inch 

fresh at 203 ft, damp at 1,190 ft.

5,735 15 2,260 -- 114, 203 -- -- -- -- Shale and sandstone at 15 ft, damp at 114 ft and 1 inch 

stream at 203 ft.

6,360 (2,700) -- 1,802 -- 84 -- -- -- -- 1/2 inch stream of freshwater at 84 ft.

6,102 (3,500) 95 2,608 -- 75 -- -- -- -- 20–95 ft sand and gravel, 1/2 ft stream freshwater at 75 ft.

6,130 (3,540) 134 2,082 3,163 28, 133, 195 -- -- -- -- 18–134 ft clay and gravel, 1 inch fresh at 28 ft and fresh at 

133 ft, shale at 134 ft, 1 inch fresh at 195 ft.

5,935 (3,200) 21 2,412 -- 85 -- -- -- -- Shale at 21 ft, 2 inch stream freshwater at 85 ft.

5,700 (3,000) 40 2,125 -- 210 -- -- -- -- Shale at 40 ft, 1 1/2 inch stream freshwater at 210 ft.

5,890 (2,875) 98 1,838 -- 85 -- -- -- -- 2 inch stream in gravel at 85 ft, shale at 98 ft.

-- 70 1,542 -- 12, 130 -- -- 263, 270 -- 0–70 ft gravel, freshwater in gravel at 12 ft and in shale at 

130 ft, gas shows at 263 and 270 ft.

1,164 (932) 28 2,870 4,461 28, 105 -- -- -- -- Freshwater in gravel at 28 ft (1/4 inch) and in shale at 

105 ft (1 inch).
26 Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining the Presence of Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas above the Marcellus Shale in NY

Appendix 2. Log summary for gas wells in the Empire State Oil and Gas System that penetrated freshwater, saltwater and (or) gas above 

[--, no data; ft, feet; Co., Company; Corp, Corporation; °F, degrees Fahrenheit; gal/min, gallons per minute]

Well name

Well 

number1Latitude2 Longitude2

Altitude3 Owner County Formation Completion 

date

Well 

depth4

Surface 

casing5

Fyock 1 20427 42.03624 -76.21665 1,265 Central New York Oil & Gas 

Co., LLC

Tioga Helderberg 2/27/1987 5,534 116 

Racht 1 20531 42.03360 -76.22227 1,485 Central New York Oil & Gas 

Co., LLC

Tioga Helderberg 10/14/1987 5,410 966 

Torbert 1 20532 42.05656 -76.24139 1,260 Quaker State Corp. Tioga Helderberg 10/28/1987 5,154 994 

Hakes 1 20534 42.02248 -76.22789 1,470 Quaker State Corp. Tioga Helderberg 10/20/1987 5,484 1,003 

Barnhart 1 20644 42.02530 -76.25499 1,480 Central New York Oil & Gas 

Co., LLC

Tioga Helderberg 11/15/1988 5,232 519 

Mead 1 20645 42.03417 -76.19666 1,400 Quaker State Corp. Tioga Helderberg 12/29/1988 5,225 873 

Owen 01 21264 42.02386 -76.27509 1,580 Central New York Oil & Gas 

Co., LLC

Tioga Onondaga 8/29/1989 5,375 751 

Owen 02 21265 42.03197 -76.27519 1,440 Quaker State Corp. Tioga -- 9/4/1989 5,295 686 

Cook 01 21272 42.01059 -76.29758 1,600 Central New York Oil & Gas 

Co., LLC

Tioga Helderberg 12/13/2006 5,455 722 

Mead 01 21294 42.01176 -76.27324 1,430 EOG Resources, Inc. Tioga Helderberg 9/5/1990 5,268 721 

Widell 01 21300 42.04916 -76.19729 1,150 Central New York Oil & Gas 

Co., LLC

Tioga Helderberg 6/26/1990 4,720 511 

Kittle 1 21375 42.01327 -76.31344 1,185 Quaker State Corp. Tioga Silurian 10/31/1990 5,597 532 

Spencer 1 21378 42.21514 -76.45367 1,100 Fault Line Oil Corp. Tioga Silurian 6/24/1993 3,246 336 

Lacher 01 21394 42.00386 -76.31213 1,475 Central New York Oil & Gas 

Co., LLC

Tioga Helderberg 12/6/2006 5,293 698 

Jones 01 21420 42.05012 -76.17812 1,035 Central New York Oil & Gas 

Co., LLC

Tioga Helderberg 8/6/1991 4,634 711 

Brenchley 01 21421 42.01080 -76.28504 1,435 Central New York Oil & Gas 

Co., LLC

Tioga Helderberg 6/27/2006 5,203 708 

Campbell 01 21424 42.04242 -76.20872 1,355 Central New York Oil & Gas 

Co., LLC

Tioga Helderberg 5/21/2003 5,031 714 

Pierce 01 21451 42.04978 -76.15903 1,140 Central New York Oil & Gas 

Co., LLC

Tioga Helderberg 9/2/1992 4,823 709 

Bell 01 21452 42.05535 -76.18144 1,180 Quaker State Corp. Tioga Helderberg 3/12/1993 4,675 699 

Pierce 02 21462 42.05535 -76.16042 975 Quaker State Corp. Tioga Oriskany 9/13/1994 4,585 715 

Meade 02 21497 42.01795 -76.27435 1,450 Quaker State Corp. Tioga Helderberg 9/11/1993 5,338 770 

Faber 01 21547 42.02895 -76.25518 1,510 Quaker State Corp. Tioga Helderberg 8/27/1994 5,435 713 

Wiggins 1 21552 42.03321 -76.23840 1,335 Quaker State Corp. Tioga Helderberg 9/20/1994 5,130 738 

Waite 1 21708 42.00234 -76.30054 1,400 EOG Resources, Inc. Tioga Oriskany 1/22/1998 5,264 776 

Nichols-Mead 1 21709 42.00275 -76.32391 1,225 Central New York Oil & Gas 

Co., LLC

Tioga Helderberg 12/20/2006 4,928 775 

1

American Petroleum Institute unique well identifier assigned by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Mineral Resources. 2

Degrees and decimal degrees; North American Datum of 1983.

3

Altitude of land surface, in feet above sea level.

4

Depth of well, in feet below land surface.

5

Depth of surface casing cemented to land surface, in feet below land surface.

6

Depth of intermediate casing, in feet below land surface; top of intermediate casing cement, in feet below land surface, in parentheses. 7

Depth to the top of bedrock, in feet below land surface.

8

Depth to the top of the Tully Limestone, in feet below land surface.

9

Depth to the top of the Marcellus Shale, in feet below land surface.

10Depth of freshwater zone(s), in feet below land surface.

11Depth of saltwater zone(s) in Upper Devonian bedrock, in feet below land surface.

12Depth of saltwater zone(s) in the Tully Limestone and Hamilton Group above the Marcellus Shale, in feet below land surface.

13Depth of gas zone(s) in Upper Devonian bedrock, in feet below land surface.

14Depth of gas zone(s) in the Tully Limestone and Hamilton Group above the Marcellus Shale, in feet below land surface.
Appendix 2 27

the Marcellus Shale in Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties, New York, 2010.—Continued

Intermediate 

casing6

Top of 

bedrock7

Top of 

Tully8

Top of 

Marcellus9

Fresh 

water10

Salt 

water Up 

Dev11

Salt 

water 

Tully12

Gas Up Dev13 Gas 

Tully14 Remarks

1,176 (944) 20 2,865 4,548 31, 60, 80, -- -- -- -- Freshwater in shale at 31 ft (1/2 inch), 60 ft (1 inch), and 

650 80 ft (2 inch); 1 inch stream at 650 ft.

-- 10 3,100 4,700 22 -- -- -- -- Freshwater at 22 ft in shale.

-- 0 2,830 4,410 60 -- -- -- -- Freshwater at 60 ft in shale.

-- 10 3,110 4,718 18, 65, 95, -- -- -- -- Freshwater at 18, 65, 95, and 140 ft in shale.

140

-- -- 3,188 4,781 97, 300 -- -- -- -- 1/2 inch stream at 97 ft and 2 inch stream at 300 ft.

-- -- 2,975 4,625 65, 523 -- 2,995 -- -- 1/2 inch at 65 ft and 1 1/2 inch at 523 ft, hit water at 

2,995 ft (brackish).

-- 35 3,376 4,947 32, 95, 180, -- -- -- -- Top of bedrock at 35 ft, freshwater at 32, 95, 180, and 

323 323 ft.

-- 35 3,252 4,853 26, 65, 140, -- -- -- -- Bedrock (shale) at 35 ft, freshwater at 26, 65, 140, 436, 

436, 531 and 531 ft.

-- 63 3,450 4,987 20, 60, 520 -- -- -- -- 0–63 ft gravel, freshwater in gravel at 20 and 60 ft and in 

shale at 520 ft.

-- 142 3,230 4,802 82, 142, 520 -- -- -- -- 0–142 ft sand and gravel, water 82–142 ft, water in shale 

at 520 ft.

-- 30 2,687 4,338 20, 50, 120, -- -- -- -- Shale at 30 ft, freshwater at 20, 50, 120, and 570 ft.

570

-- 115 3,042 4,575 62, 105 -- -- -- -- Freshwater 4 inch stream from 62–105 ft, shale at 115 ft.

-- 4 1,740 2,986 108 -- -- -- -- Shale at 4 ft, no gas, slight water at 108 ft.

-- 10 3,270 4,803 62, 173 -- -- -- -- 0–10 ft gravel, freshwater in shale 1/2 inch stream at 62 ft 

and 1/2 stream at 173 ft.

-- 45 2,560 4,248 140 -- -- -- -- 0–45 ft gravel, 1/2 inch stream freshwater at 140 ft.

-- 155 3,280 4,773 90, 115, 145 -- -- -- -- 0–155 ft gravel, 3 inch stream at 90 ft, 2 inch stream at 

115 ft, and 3 inch stream at 145 ft.

-- 10 2,920 4,628 255 -- -- -- -- Shale at 10 ft, 1/4 inch freshwater at 255 ft.

-- 35 2,690 4,350 78 -- -- -- -- 0–35 ft gravel, freshwater at 78 ft in shale (1/4 inch 

stream).

-- 120 2,705 4,439 65, 120, 200 -- -- -- -- Water from 65–120 ft (1 inch stream), shale at 120 ft, 

water at 200 ft 1/2 inch stream; directional hole depths 

not corrected.

-- 10 2,484 4,147 60 1,500 -- -- -- Shale at 10 ft, 1/2 inch freshwater at 60 ft, 1/2 inch 

stream brackish at 1,500 ft.

-- 86 3,270 4,880 56 -- -- -- -- 0–86 ft gravel and dirt.

-- 60 3,286 4,090 40 -- -- -- -- 0–60 ft gravel, 1 inch (fresh) at 40 ft in gravel.

-- 55 3,030 4,602 112 -- -- -- -- 0–55 ft gravel, 1 inch freshwater at 112 ft.

-- 78 3,160 4,648 62 -- -- -- -- Water in gravel at 62 ft, shale at 78 ft.

-- 100 3,040 4,158 100 -- -- -- -- 0–100 ft gravel (water), shale at 100 ft.
Prepared by the Pembroke Publishing Service Center.

For additional information write to:

New York Water Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey

425 Jordan Road

Troy, NY 12180

Information requests:

(518) 285-5602

or visit our Web site at:

http://ny.water.usgs.gov
Williams—Evaluation of Logs for Wells in the Marcellus Shale in Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties, New York—Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5224