While the deep Marcellus Shale deposit sits in the middle of the Devonian Shale layer, the Burkett Shale deposit is closer to the surface in the Upper Devonian shale. Penn State University Extension offers the following description:
- The final ingredient in the Pennsylvania triple play is the upper Devonian shale. Generally, combinations of several thinner shale formations like the Genessee/Burkett are lumped together when people discuss the upper Devonian shale(s). As an upper Devonian formation, these shale(s) are generally found just above the middle Devonian Marcellus. Similar to both the Marcellus and the Utica, the productivity of the upper Devonian shales will likely vary significantly across the state. To date only one company has reported drilling into the upper Devonian shale and the well has yet to report production results.
And, according to Penn State University Extension, the Burkett deposit falls within the same location as the Genesee layer in the diagram below:
