Above and Beneath

Above and Beneath. natural beauty. natural gas.. , While the Mohican area is recognized for its abundance of natural beauty, another natural resource lies below the surface of the landscape - natural gas., Mohican Memorial State Forest covers a massive geologic formation of porous rock about one half mile below the surface called Clinton Sandstone. Originally, this rock formation held reserves of natural gas. That native supply was tapped into in the early 1900s, and provided the region with a clean-burning fuel supply for a generation., In 1937 the formation, by then depleted of economically recoverable natural gas, was converted to serve as a natural gas storage field, holding excess supplies of gas piped in from other areas., A network of underground pipeline's, wells and related facilities pump gas into the field during summer months. During the winter, gas is withdrawn and transported to gas distribution companies in the region. The local gas utility delivers the clean-burning, domestic fuel to homes and businesses where it is used as a heating, cooking and industrial fuel., The Weaver Storage Field, underlying an approximate 68 square mile area of Ashland, Knox and Richland counties, can cycle 19 billion cubic feet of natural gas, or enough fuel to heat about 190,000 Ohio homes during a typical winter season., As you hike, bike or ride the trails through the forest, look for trail signs along the way that describe some of the natural gas facilities., Wellhead , The wellhead is where natural gas is pumped into or withdrawn from the underground storage reservoir about one-half mile below the surface. Natural gas is stored beneath the Mohican-Memorial State Forest and the surrounding area. Weaver Storage Field holds enough natural gas to serve the winter heating needs of about 190,000 Ohio homes.