Leasing / Amendment Advice

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17 posts found

A judge rules surface owners with unplugged, inactive wells on them can sue the driller to make them plug the well or sue for money to plug the well
Leasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO April 22, 2023
Diversified and EQT say that surface owners can't sue about unplugged wells because the drillers have entered into well plugging consent orders with the DEP. Because the consent order of Diversified would only require the plugging of wells in 400 years and for other reasons the judge ruled that surface owners can sue. More
Issues: Oil and Gas
Have  you been threatened with forced pooling/unitization?  Have your received papers giving you notice of a forced pooling/unitization hearing? 
Leasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO June 7, 2022
This is WVSORO's advice to mineral owners (and assurance to surface owners) after passage of forced pooling/unitization legislation effective June, 2022. More
Issues: Pooling
SB 694 passed by the 2022 Legislature authorizing forced unitization of mineral tracts is OK because it is good for surface owners, and OK for mineral owners
BlogLeasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO March 14, 2022
Forced unitization bills, often termed "forced pooling" bills, have been very controversial for years.  WVSORO has always said a good forced pooling bill would be a good thing because it lessens the number of wells and well pads needed to produce natural gas for whatever market there is for natural gas.  It is just that in prior years we have never seen a good bill, just one that favors industry over surface owners and those of our members who also own some minerals.  This year's bill, SB 694, is not quite a "good" bill, but because of all the good surface protections it contains, and because it is OK to most mineral owners, and because the industry dominates the Legislature and could do so even more after the next election, WVSORO thinks this bill is OK and told the Legislature so.  More
Issues: Pooling
What the 2018 Cotenancy Law (HB 4268) Means for WV Mineral Owners/Leasing
Leasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO June 6, 2018
This web page explains the expected change in leasing dynamics that will occur after the 2018 cotenancy statute takes effect and the provisions  of the statute. More
Issues: Horizontal wellsLeasingMinerals-RoyaltiesPooling
What is a “Division Order”? 
Leasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO November 15, 2023
Do I have to sign it to get my royalties after the well is drilled? More
Issues: Minerals-Royalties
Why Multiple Horizontal Wells from centralized well pads should be used for the Marcellus Shale
AdviceBlogLeasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO July 8, 2019
The Marcellus Shale is the newest “play” in gas drilling in West Virginia and other states in the East. It is different from other plays in that it produces much more gas, and is under much more area (as explained below) than previous plays. More
Issues: Horizontal wellsLeasingMarcellus shale
Well Spacing and Royalty Sharing. (a.k.a. “Spacing, Pooling and Unitization”). What is it?
Leasing / Amendment AdviceResource Gallery WVSORO December 18, 2007
What it is, and why it should apply, instead of the Rule of Capture, to the drilling of all oil and gas wells in W.Va. More
Issues: LeasingPooling
Cotenancy/Forced Pooling By OGCC can be challenged
BlogLeasing / Amendment Advice Kayla Young June 25, 2020
WVSORO believes that two of the five members of the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission are not qualified to hold their positions. More
Issues: LeasingOil and Gas
Drillers can NOT pool a mineral owner’s lease without authorization!
Leasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO November 8, 2016
UPDATE: WE WERE RIGHT! There is no "implied right to pool" in a lease.
If a driller tries to talk you into a lease amendment (some of our members also owns minerals) by saying this, you really need to educate yourself on this web page. More

Issues: Horizontal wellsLeasingPooling
Eleven reasons why a judge was wrong to imply a lease covenant to pool
Leasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO November 8, 2016
Here Are the Eleven Reasons That The Tyler County Circuit Court Judge's Ruling Is Wrong, And Why No Other Circuit Court Judge nor the Supreme Court Should Agree With the Ruling. More
Issues: Horizontal wellsLeasingPooling
Top 6 Pieces of Advice Before Signing a Gas Lease
Leasing / Amendment Advice don_alejandro August 11, 2015
Do not be be rushed to sign a lease in a few days. Your grandchildren – no, your great-grandchildren, can be bound by what you sign. More
Issues: LeasingOil and Gas
Minerals/Royalty Owner Info
Leasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO May 23, 2008
Someone came and wants me to sign a lease to the oil and gas and other minerals under my land. What should I do?
More

Issues: Leasing
If I Don’t Sign a Lease (Or Sign a Pooling Amendment to an Existing Lease) Can They Drill Next to Me and Take My Gas Without Paying Me for It?
Leasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO October 31, 2014
This issue is most likely to come up when a company's landman approaches you as a mineral tract owner to either sign a lease that includes a pooling clause, or to sign an amendment to an old existing lease that would allow for pooling. More
Issues: LeasingMinerals-RoyaltiesPooling
A gas company wants me to sign an amendment to an old lease! I own the surface and the minerals. Should I sign it?
Leasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO September 1, 2011
This article is only for people who own both the surface and all or part of the minerals of a tract of property. More
Issues: LeasingOil and Gas
I am considering signing a lease or doing other business with a driller or landman for a company. Can I find out if that “operator” has a history of “violations” of state laws or rules?
Leasing / Amendment AdviceWV Surface Owners' Guide Update WVSORO August 10, 2009
You can find out information about “violations” on the West Virginia DEP, Office of Oil and Gas web site. But be aware that much enforcement is done informally without the state writing up official “violations” that will show up on this data base. More
Issues: DEPOil and Gas
New program to open up carbon market to small forest owners in West Virginia
Leasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO October 20, 2021
A new program enabling owners of small forestlands to prosper from improving forest health while slowing climate change is launching in West Virginia. More
Issues: Leasing