I am not in the oil/NG business, but work for a gentleman that is. Nor am i a petroleum engineer or geologist, but here are some things that I have learned from osmosis:
1. In Ohio, and most likely other states also, one must own or lease the mineral rights to a minimum amount of acreage before one may drill a gas or oil well.
2. The intended depth of well (production zone) determines the amount of acreage needed for permitting.
3. There are property setbacks as to how close one may drill to the property line. One cannot drill ten feet from the line fence and steal the neighbors gas.
4. The state requires all sorts of permits before you just poke a hole 2000 feet or more into the ground.
5. Drilling a well for oil or NG is very expensive, with no guarantee that your well will not be a duster, even when near a currently producing well. If everything was so easy and a sure thing, there would be more folks in this very risky business.
6. Even if a well does hit gas, it can be very costly to keep some wells in production. Some wells are also producers of salt water, that must be properly disposed of, at a price of coarse.
7. Some wells produce natural gas contaminated with hydrogen sulfide, which is deadly if inhaled. Forget about using it in your home.
8. If you are whining about a small amount of increase to your gas bill, do not even think of attempting to drill a private well on your place. Your lifetime cash outlay to the gas company most likely will not buy the rig (rotary or cable tool), pipe, tubing, bits, permits, or expertise needed to drill a well.
Sorry to be so negative, but the general citizen has no clue as to what it takes to drill even a shallow well, then operate it, and transport the gas to everyone's home. Do not get me wrong, I too do not like paying my gas bill, but it is a real deal when compared to drilling my own well!