The Utica-Point Pleasant play has matured into one of North America’s most technically demanding—and economically rewarding—unconventional plays. As operators shift from acreage capture to full‑cycle value optimization, the industry is learning a critical truth: recovery efficiency, not drilling speed, is now the primary driver of competitive advantage . This article highlights how diagnostics, geomechanics, and physics-guided planning are reshaping Utica development strategi