Odd clearings on Google Maps

Each feature is about 300 x 400 feet. They look like identical gravel lots each with some structure in one corner. If you zoom out there are at least a dozen of them in theiss remote area of Columbiana County OH . The roads are gated ans have what appear to be an identical sign at each entrance. I haven’t been able to find a view where I can read a sign but they seem to have a map on them. The sign on Rt 644 has the best view so far.

Looking at historic aerial views they appeared sequentially starting in 2013.

Fracking extraction points from coal or shale deposits.

Beware - they breed like tribbles.

^^ this, fidgeting with your map, I found one of those in a different part of the state that popped up with a pin-tag that said it was a belonged to Chesapeake Energy, around … I didn’t really pay attention, but the Iron Warrior site is near Belmont

Fracking wells. They’re all over the country now. Or at least all over the oil shale areas.

See the regular grids of “dots” all around that city? Some are conventional oil wells, but many are fracking wells. They extend for many miles in every direction.

Hmm, what’s going on about 1 mile NNW of there ?
Looks like someone’s divided the land up into roughly square shapes and then
shuffled them around.

Not sure which bit you mean [or whether you mean the Ohio or Odessa images] but

sounds like field preparation, planting and cropping happening at different stages.

Assuming you’re talking about your map in OH …

I’m betting you’re not familiar with this:

That part of the USA was carefully surveyed into 1 mile square blocks. Which later were sold either whole, or divided in half each way into 4 square hunks each 1/2 mile on a side or else into quarters each way giving 16 squares each 1/4 mile on a side.

What I see about where you indicate is a single 1 mile section that was subdivided into 16 hunks. The various farmers who own each hunk plow according to how the topography in their hunk works. And their personal habits.

With the result that the whole section resembles a cross between a farmland picture puzzle and one of these that’s been scrambled:

Correct !

Yes, that’s what i was thinking.
Ignorance fawt.
Cheers !