As 2011 began, West Virginia and Ohio stood on the brink of a natural gas drilling boom with companies such as Chesapeake Energy and Marquette Exploration staking major claims in both states.

With the year drawing to a close, Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake continues as the Upper Ohio Valley's largest individual player. However, with New York City-based Hess Corp. acquiring Marquette during the year - and global oil giants Chevron and Exxon Mobil entering the shale game in both states - the region seems poised to become an even larger player as the United States searches for energy independence.
 
Throughout the year, gas abstractors working on behalf of drilling companies flooded county offices in search of properties that drillers could lease. Deed offices in West Virginia and Ohio often became so crowded that tables had to be set up for abstractors to work in the hallways. In 2010, a common lease throughout the area may have seen a property owner signing to gain $750 per acre and 14 percent production royalties for their land. Now, offers at least as high as $5,200 per acre with as much as 20 percent of the production royalties are commonplace.

For those who own property but have yet to sign a lease, the price companies will offer them is hard to predict because of market conditions. Offers could continue to go higher if drillers continue to see successful results, but prices could go back down if some wells do not yield much gas and oil. Also in 2011, many property owners who signed leases with a particular company saw those leases "flipped," "swapped," or "looped" to the control of other companies. Some smaller gas companies were acquired altogether by multinational corporations: examples include Hess Corp.'s purchase of Marquette; Exxon Mobil's purchase of Phillips Exploration; and Chevron's takeover of AB Resources.