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311 posts found, showing 20 per page

Scientists say lots of unplugged (and plugged) oil and gas wells are leaking lots of methane in West Virginia
Blog WVSORO October 20, 2021
A study by scientists of 338 conventional vertical wells in thirteen counties in West Virginia found that 53% of active wells, 28% of unplugged inactive wells, and even 20% of plugged wells were leaking significant methane into the atmosphere -- wasting gas, aiding global warning, and gypping mineral owners. Clearly the State needs LOTS more inspectors than the current 1 for every 7000 wells. More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Pollution

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

Surface Neighbors Can Still Sue for Nuisance Sometimes
Pads and Other Disturbance Advice WVSORO June 14, 2021
Elsewhere in this newsletter is an article explaining that as a result of a West Virginia Supreme Court decision, in almost all cases, surface owners can sue for substantial money if a driller uses their surface for a pad, road etc. for a horizontal  well -- even sometimes if the surface owner already signed an agreement. More
Issues: Horizontal wells, Nuisance suits, Roads, Well pads

Full analysis of West Virginia Supreme Court case on nuisance
Pads and Other Disturbance Advice WVSORO June 14, 2021
A Surface Lawyer's Take on Andrews vs. Antero Resources Corporation 241 W.Va. 796, 828 S.E.2d 858 (2019) Prepared November 1, 2019, by David McMahon. J.D. More
Issues: Nuisance suits

The Legislature is cutting the budget for oil and gas well inspectors, not fixing it!
Updates and Alerts WVSORO April 5, 2021
The staffing level of the DEP Office of Oil and Gas was cut from 40 to 25 positions last year due to a budget deficit. There is now only 1 oil and gas inspector for every 7000 oil or gas wells and their associated tanks in West Virginia. More
Issues: Aboveground tanks, DEP, Oil and Gas

WVSORO  and WVRC file comments against Diversified pilot project to take shortcuts plugging wells.
Updates and Alerts WVSORO March 18, 2021
Diversified Gas & Oil wants to plug wells without first pulling out the metal casing that is not cemented into the well borehole.  WVSORO is concerned that this cannot be reliably done, and that the metal casing, when it eventually rusts away, will leave a pathway for gas to travel up to groundwater or the surface.  More

Stop newest forced pooling bill. Attend Farm Bureau meeting Monday!
Updates and Alerts WVSORO March 4, 2021
WVSORO has said in the past that a good forced pooling bill could be a good thing.  Not anymore.  For one thing we have yet to see a good forced pooling bill offered by the drillers.  And they have not even offered to negotiate with us or mineral owners before the Legislature started.  Instead they introduced two bills late into this year's delayed legislative session that are perhaps the worst ever.  More
Issues: Leasing, Pooling

FRIDAY MORNING People’s Public Hearing on deregulation of some oil and gas well tanks!
Updates and Alerts WVSORO February 24, 2021
Oil and gas "brine" and oil tanks on surface owners need more regulation.  Right now there is only one Office of Oil and Gas inspector for every 5000 wells many of which have associated tanks.  There are no required State Office of Oil and Gas  inspections of the 70,000 wells in the State, and if there is a tank at a well it could have crawdad holes etc. negating secondary containment.  More
Issues: Aboveground tanks, Pollution, Water

Act Now: Protect Our Drinking Water and Reject HB 2598
Updates and Alerts WVSORO February 20, 2021
The WV Legislature and industry lobbyists have brought back the bill for exemptions to the Aboveground Storage Tank Act as HB 2598, reintroduced this week and expected to make the House Energy and Manufacturing Committee agenda on Tuesday morning, February 23. More
Issues: Pollution, Water

2021 legislative priorities
Blog WVSORO January 26, 2021
Restoring and increasing funding to the DEP’s Office of Oil and Gas will be our lead priority this year.  But we will still be pushing legislation to have the property rights of surface owners recognized, to increase their chances of owning some of the minerals under them, and to deal with thousands and thousands of orphaned wells and other environmental problems. More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Land re-union, Legislation, Pipelines

Winter 2020/21 Newsletter
Newsletter WVSORO January 12, 2021
Read about valuing your surface rights, funding needed for the Office Oil and Gas, possible stimulus money to plug wells, a look back at our successes in the 2020 legislature, and a look at our 2021 Legislative priorities. More
Issues: Fracking, Horizontal wells, Legislation, Oil and Gas, Orphaned wells

WVSORO Sample Answer to a Partition Suit
Partition Suit Advice Kayla Young August 19, 2020
Our co-founder lawyer has drafted a sample that can be used to fight a partition suit filed in Circuit Court that attempts to take a mineral owner's interest in their land from them. More
Issues: Partition suits

HELP GET FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY TO PLUG ORPHANED WELLS!
Updates and Alerts Kayla Young July 31, 2020
There is a good chance that West Virginia and other states can get money in the next federal stimulus bill to plug more orphaned wells. We need you to contact Senators Capito & Manchin! More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Oil and Gas, Orphaned wells

Cotenancy/Forced Pooling By OGCC can be challenged
Blog, Leasing / 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: Leasing, Oil and Gas

Spring 2020 eNewsletter
Newsletter, Updates and Alerts Kayla Young April 3, 2020
Because of coronavirus we could not do a timely spring, hard copy newsletter. Here is an unusually long update/eNewsletter to take its place. More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Land use, Legislation, Oil and Gas, Partition suits

I own a share of a mineral tract and I have been included in (or threatened with) a partition suit. What should I do? A West Virginia Supreme Court case stops mineral partition suits. Use it!
Partition Suit Advice WVSORO April 2, 2020
If you are sued for partition of your interest in a mineral tract, or if you are just threatened with such a lawsuit to try to get you to sign a lease or to sign a lease with terms that you do not want, do not be alarmed.  You should know that the West Virginia Supreme Court has made a decision which we believe says that minerals are not subject to partition. More
Issues: Partition suits

Our Bills Passed – Help us encourage the Governor to sign them into law!
Updates and Alerts Kayla Young March 6, 2020
Please contact Governor Justice and ask him to sign into law three bills to help surface owners who have orphaned oil and gas wells on their property!  They are HB 4090, HB 4088, and SB 120.   More
Issues: Orphaned wells

Action Alert: Ask Senators to Vote YES for a Third Well Plugging Money Bill on Thursday!
Updates and Alerts Kayla Young March 3, 2020
PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL THE SENATORS TODAY AND TELL THEM SB 4088 IS A SURFACE OWNERS’ BILL; AND TELL THEM TO VOTE FOR THE BILL. Please do it right now. The vote is on Thursday. More
Issues: Orphaned wells, Reclamation fund

Alert: Protect Your Rights as Property Owners! NO to Intermediate Court
Updates and Alerts Kayla Young February 25, 2020
Creating an Intermediate Court delays justice for Property Owners. SB 275 would allow Industry to appeal your property rights case not once but TWICE. Appeals now take up to a year and adding another level of course can double that time. We support property owners getting justice. Contact House Judiciary members and urge them to REJECT SB275 Intermediate Court of Appeals!  More

ACTION ALERT: Save the Creation of the Oil and Gas Abandoned Well Plugging Fund!
Updates and Alerts Kayla Young February 21, 2020
One of our bills, HB4090, is stuck in committee! We need the bill placed on the Senate Finance agenda ASAP!  More
Issues: Abandoned wells