Almost heaven before drilling
After drilling (click image for hi-res)
And even after they're done drilling - a different pad (click image for hi-res)
Noisy heaven? A compressor station (click image for hi-res)
Compressor station closeup (click image for hi-res)
Links of Interest
Go to New Resources and Advice
Scientists say lots of oil and gas wells are leaking a lot of methane in W.Va.
Tour of gas wells & their problems in Kanawha State Forest
Award Winning Article Showing Looks and Sounds of Horizontal Drilling
CBSnews/ProPublica documentary on the winning surface use case, EQT vs. Crowder.
Current Issues and Events
West Virginia Supreme Court grants WVSORO’s motion to file an amicus brief in long wall mining surface subsidence compensation case.
Press Release WVSORO Aug 20 2025
The case on appeal is about when the clock starts -- if at all -- on surface owners' suits for subsidence compensation: Surface owners think there should be no statute of limitations, or if there is, there should be equitable tolling where surface owners do not know when the mining occurs or when the subsidence will be over. More
Press Release WVSORO Aug 20 2025
The case on appeal is about when the clock starts -- if at all -- on surface owners' suits for subsidence compensation: Surface owners think there should be no statute of limitations, or if there is, there should be equitable tolling where surface owners do not know when the mining occurs or when the subsidence will be over. More
WVSORO files comments against data center and its natural gas power plant near Thomas, West Virginia
Blog WVSORO Aug 20 2025
A mysterious organization called Fundamental Data has filed for an air permit with the DEP for this. An extraordinary number of comments against it were filed. WVSORO supported the group comments, and did separate comments pointing out problems with noise and skyglow, and that the construction will change the population, housing demand etc. and spoil a treasured unique area for natural recreation. UPDATE: DEP granted the air permit, but there may be further challenges. More
Issues: Data center, DEP, Pollution
Blog WVSORO Aug 20 2025
A mysterious organization called Fundamental Data has filed for an air permit with the DEP for this. An extraordinary number of comments against it were filed. WVSORO supported the group comments, and did separate comments pointing out problems with noise and skyglow, and that the construction will change the population, housing demand etc. and spoil a treasured unique area for natural recreation. UPDATE: DEP granted the air permit, but there may be further challenges. More
Issues: Data center, DEP, Pollution
Concerned Organizations Petition Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals To Challenge the Grant of Primacy to West Virginia For Permitting and Oversight of Carbon Capture and Sequestration Wells
News WVSORO May 12 2025
The West Virginia Surface Owner’s Rights Organization, along with three environmental organizations, and represented by lawyers from Appalachian Mountain Advocates, have petitioned the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals challenging EPA’s decision to grant primacy of oversight of the drilling and closure of carbon dioxide injection wells... More
Issues: Injection wells
News WVSORO May 12 2025
The West Virginia Surface Owner’s Rights Organization, along with three environmental organizations, and represented by lawyers from Appalachian Mountain Advocates, have petitioned the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals challenging EPA’s decision to grant primacy of oversight of the drilling and closure of carbon dioxide injection wells... More
Issues: Injection wells
Diversified gets well plugging shortcut through 2025 Legislature (people signing new leases/amendments should disallow shortcut).
Leasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO May 28 2025
WVSORO was able during the 2025 West Virginia Legislature to stop the bill that would have cut the statute of limitations on back unpaid royalties. That was the good news. However, Diversified was able to use its political muscle to get a bill through, HB 3336, that weakened well plugging requirements. More
Issues: Legislation, Minerals-Royalties
Leasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO May 28 2025
WVSORO was able during the 2025 West Virginia Legislature to stop the bill that would have cut the statute of limitations on back unpaid royalties. That was the good news. However, Diversified was able to use its political muscle to get a bill through, HB 3336, that weakened well plugging requirements. More
Issues: Legislation, Minerals-Royalties
Tell the Legislature: Pass the Orphaned Well Prevention Act!
Updates and Alerts WVSORO Mar 24 2025
Irresponsible oil and gas well drillers have 12,000 idle wells that should already be plugged. We need to stop more wells from being orphaned. We need the Orphaned Well Prevention Act! More
Issues: Oil and Gas, Orphaned wells
Updates and Alerts WVSORO Mar 24 2025
Irresponsible oil and gas well drillers have 12,000 idle wells that should already be plugged. We need to stop more wells from being orphaned. We need the Orphaned Well Prevention Act! More
Issues: Oil and Gas, Orphaned wells
New Resources and Advice
WVSORO’s Very Newest Gas Leasing (and Lease Amendment) Royalty Advice
Leasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO Aug 18 2025
New leasing dynamics plus the passage of the "cotenancy and "forced pooling" laws have made some of our leasing advice on this website a little stale. Please go here for the newest advice and for links to more updated advice on leasing and on pooling and unitization and cotenancy. More
Issues: Leasing, Oil and Gas
Leasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO Aug 18 2025
New leasing dynamics plus the passage of the "cotenancy and "forced pooling" laws have made some of our leasing advice on this website a little stale. Please go here for the newest advice and for links to more updated advice on leasing and on pooling and unitization and cotenancy. More
Issues: Leasing, Oil and Gas
Surface Owners’ News – Winter 2024-2025
Newsletter WVSORO Mar 26 2025
In this issue: Video Tour of Gas Wells in Kanawha State Forest; The WV Legislature: Looking Back on 2024, Ahead to 2025; Plugging the Leaks: West Virginia's Orphaned Well Crisis; Watching Out for Field Tap Customers When Gas Pipelines Get Abandoned; Good News (Kind, Sort of) on a Key Diversified Lawsuit; EPA Approves WV for Carbon Sequestration Despite Risks; Support Our Work More
Issues: Abandoned wells, EPA, Legislation, Orphaned wells
Newsletter WVSORO Mar 26 2025
In this issue: Video Tour of Gas Wells in Kanawha State Forest; The WV Legislature: Looking Back on 2024, Ahead to 2025; Plugging the Leaks: West Virginia's Orphaned Well Crisis; Watching Out for Field Tap Customers When Gas Pipelines Get Abandoned; Good News (Kind, Sort of) on a Key Diversified Lawsuit; EPA Approves WV for Carbon Sequestration Despite Risks; Support Our Work More
Issues: Abandoned wells, EPA, Legislation, Orphaned wells
Should You Take Ownership of a Well to Keep Free Gas? If So, How?
Free Gas Advice WVSORO Oct 12 2024
WVSORO does not recommend having ownership of an old gas well transferred to the surface owner in order to keep free gas for a home. Owning a well means that when the well needs to be plugged, it is you who will be responsible if the State acts. More
Issues: Oil and Gas
Free Gas Advice WVSORO Oct 12 2024
WVSORO does not recommend having ownership of an old gas well transferred to the surface owner in order to keep free gas for a home. Owning a well means that when the well needs to be plugged, it is you who will be responsible if the State acts. 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 Jun 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
Leasing / Amendment Advice WVSORO Jun 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
Should surface owners sign pore space lease etc. papers? If so, how much money should you get?
Advice WVSORO Mar 7 2024
What should you do if someone knocks on your door and wants to lease the pore space in the formations under your surface land? More
Advice WVSORO Mar 7 2024
What should you do if someone knocks on your door and wants to lease the pore space in the formations under your surface land? More
Why an old well is plugged, not “capped”; and how a well is supposed to be plugged; and why a lot of oversight of well pluggers is needed.
Resource Gallery WVSORO May 4 2022
WVSORO has created a new slide show on its website that shows how well plugging should be done, to show how plugging it is not “capping” a well, and to explain why plugging companies need lots of oversight to prevent well pluggers from yielding to the financial temptation to do an easily hidden bad job. More
Resource Gallery WVSORO May 4 2022
WVSORO has created a new slide show on its website that shows how well plugging should be done, to show how plugging it is not “capping” a well, and to explain why plugging companies need lots of oversight to prevent well pluggers from yielding to the financial temptation to do an easily hidden bad job. More