What is Marcellus & Utica Shale?
Named for the exposed outcrop in Marcellus, NY, Marcellus Shale is a large deposit of black shale and is characterized by being very rich in unoxidized carbon. Marcellus Shale covers most of New York State and ranges in depths down to 7,000 feet below the surface and is included in most of the Appalachia. The larger Marcellus shale formation becomes thinner as it moves from East to West and is named for an exposed outcrop in Marcellus, NY. Utica Shale is deposited broadly across the Appalachian Basin and into Ontario, Canada. In New York there is an outcrop along the west and southeast sides of the Adirondack Mountains, and is also exposed along the northern Allegany Plateau. It ranges in depths to over 9,000 feet in the Southern portion of the state. One of the characteristics that is common with black shale is that it contains trace levels of uranium. The concentration of this uranium at the surface, on drilling equipment, and in combination with drilling muds, fracking fluid, and ot
