The Utica shale formation is one of the newest natural gas discoveries in North America. It is located in New York state and the Canadian province of Quebec, along the St. Lawrence River Valley. Some geologists have suggested the gas-bearing formation extends as far south as Pennsylvania. The other major shale formation in this area is the better-known Marcellus shale.

Estimates of natural gas deposits in the formation range from a low of about 2 trillion cubic feet (tcf) to a high of 60 to 70 tcf. At this time, most companies active in the Utica shale are drilling exploratory wells on the Canadian side of the border because the state of New York has been reluctant to grant drilling permits to date. Some production rates have tested up to 1 million cubic feet per day.