315 posts found, showing 20 per page
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
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
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
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
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
WV-SORO Legislative 2020 Update 1
Updates and Alerts Kayla Young February 7, 2020
We are 40% of the way through the legislative session, and bills for surface owners are moving right along! We are tracking several bills, moving through both chambers. More
Updates and Alerts Kayla Young February 7, 2020
We are 40% of the way through the legislative session, and bills for surface owners are moving right along! We are tracking several bills, moving through both chambers. More
WVSORO’s Dave McMahon to appear on Public Broadcasting’s Legislature Today on Tuesday
Updates and Alerts Kayla Young January 21, 2020
Dave McMahon, founder of WV Soro will be on Legislature Today on Tuesday January 21st at 6 pm (watch options below) to talk about orphaned wells and funding for the Office of Oil and Gas within the Department of Environmental Protections. Also joining Dave is Angie Rosser of West Virginia Rivers Coalition. More
Issues: DEP, Orphaned wells
Updates and Alerts Kayla Young January 21, 2020
Dave McMahon, founder of WV Soro will be on Legislature Today on Tuesday January 21st at 6 pm (watch options below) to talk about orphaned wells and funding for the Office of Oil and Gas within the Department of Environmental Protections. Also joining Dave is Angie Rosser of West Virginia Rivers Coalition. More
Issues: DEP, Orphaned wells
Dave McMahon Metro News Radio Interview: Update on Orphaned Well Bills
Updates and Alerts WVSORO January 16, 2020
In our newsletter we said that one of our legislative priorities was a trio of bills to provide money to plug wells that have already become orphans. Two of those bills already passed out of the first committee in the House! More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Legislation, Orphaned wells
Updates and Alerts WVSORO January 16, 2020
In our newsletter we said that one of our legislative priorities was a trio of bills to provide money to plug wells that have already become orphans. Two of those bills already passed out of the first committee in the House! More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Legislation, Orphaned wells
Winter 2019/2020 Newsletter
Newsletter WVSORO January 14, 2020
The West Virginia Supreme Court has issued a much anticipated decision upholding the property rights of surface owners when well drillers try to use their surface for the enormous well pads necessary to drill horizontally. More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Well pads
Newsletter WVSORO January 14, 2020
The West Virginia Supreme Court has issued a much anticipated decision upholding the property rights of surface owners when well drillers try to use their surface for the enormous well pads necessary to drill horizontally. More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Well pads
Have you been sued, or threatened to be sued, for partition of your minerals?
Advice, Leasing / Amendment Advice Kayla Young December 17, 2019
Drillers have to get all of the co-owners (usually heirs of family property, and technically "cotenants") to sign a lease or a pooling amendment to a lease, before they can drill. What if the driller cannot get all the co-owners to sign but the driller still wants to drill? More
Issues: Leasing, Minerals-Royalties, Oil and Gas
Advice, Leasing / Amendment Advice Kayla Young December 17, 2019
Drillers have to get all of the co-owners (usually heirs of family property, and technically "cotenants") to sign a lease or a pooling amendment to a lease, before they can drill. What if the driller cannot get all the co-owners to sign but the driller still wants to drill? More
Issues: Leasing, Minerals-Royalties, Oil and Gas
Legislative Priorities 2020 E-Blast
Updates and Alerts Kayla Young December 5, 2019
We want to hear from you!! Now is your chance to get involved in the legislative priorities for the WV Surface Owners' Rights Organization for the upcoming 2020 session! We work for you and this year we've created an online survey to make it as easy as possible for your voice to be heard. The survey is very short and easy to fill out! More
Issues: Fence-line monitoring, Land re-union, Orphaned wells, Pollution
Updates and Alerts Kayla Young December 5, 2019
We want to hear from you!! Now is your chance to get involved in the legislative priorities for the WV Surface Owners' Rights Organization for the upcoming 2020 session! We work for you and this year we've created an online survey to make it as easy as possible for your voice to be heard. The survey is very short and easy to fill out! More
Issues: Fence-line monitoring, Land re-union, Orphaned wells, Pollution
WV-SORO 2020 Legislative Priorities
Blog WVSORO December 1, 2019
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 orphaned wells and other environmental problems, continue to be WV-SORO's legislative priorities for 2020. We will also be active opposing legislation the industry introduces (out of its sense of entitlement) which will harm the interests of surface owners (including some fortunate few of whom are also small mineral interest owners). More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Eminent domain, Fence-line monitoring, Horizontal wells, Land re-union, Orphaned wells, Pipelines
Blog WVSORO December 1, 2019
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 orphaned wells and other environmental problems, continue to be WV-SORO's legislative priorities for 2020. We will also be active opposing legislation the industry introduces (out of its sense of entitlement) which will harm the interests of surface owners (including some fortunate few of whom are also small mineral interest owners). More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Eminent domain, Fence-line monitoring, Horizontal wells, Land re-union, Orphaned wells, Pipelines
Governor’s Appointment to Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Blasted
Press Release, Updates and Alerts Kayla Young October 29, 2019
A representatives of surface owners and mineral owners today blasted the Governor for appointing a long time leading oil and gas industry member, a person who is still a consultant and expert witness for the industry, to the seat designated for the public on the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. More
Press Release, Updates and Alerts Kayla Young October 29, 2019
A representatives of surface owners and mineral owners today blasted the Governor for appointing a long time leading oil and gas industry member, a person who is still a consultant and expert witness for the industry, to the seat designated for the public on the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. More
Orphaned Wells: The Widespread Problem and the Potential Solutions
Advice Kayla Young October 10, 2019
WVSORO believes that the most widespread property rights and pollution issue in West Virginia is orphaned oil and gas wells. There are 4,500 already on property owners across the State. We predict another 10,000 in 30 years. The Legislature needs to take action. More
Issues: Orphaned wells
Advice Kayla Young October 10, 2019
WVSORO believes that the most widespread property rights and pollution issue in West Virginia is orphaned oil and gas wells. There are 4,500 already on property owners across the State. We predict another 10,000 in 30 years. The Legislature needs to take action. More
Issues: Orphaned wells
If You Get an EQT Class Action Benefit Notice, Do Not Sign for the “Optional Pooling Benefits!”
Advice, Updates and Alerts Kayla Young October 7, 2019
9500 people are getting a "Tawney [Non-]Compliant Flat Rate Claim Form and Benefit Notice" regarding the settlement of the royalty class action case of Kay Co., v. EQT Production Co. If you got that, WVSORO recommends that you DO NOT SIGN ON PAGE THREE for the optional pooling benefits provided in section "B" beginning on page 2 for leases in Wetzel, Doddridge, Harrison, Marion, Marshall, Monongalia, Ritchie, Taylor and Tyler Counties. More
Advice, Updates and Alerts Kayla Young October 7, 2019
9500 people are getting a "Tawney [Non-]Compliant Flat Rate Claim Form and Benefit Notice" regarding the settlement of the royalty class action case of Kay Co., v. EQT Production Co. If you got that, WVSORO recommends that you DO NOT SIGN ON PAGE THREE for the optional pooling benefits provided in section "B" beginning on page 2 for leases in Wetzel, Doddridge, Harrison, Marion, Marshall, Monongalia, Ritchie, Taylor and Tyler Counties. More
The Provisions Needed by Surface Owners In Surface Use Agreements
Advice Kayla Young August 26, 2019
This page on our website has been updated to include the effect of a recent West Virginia Supreme Court case that in essence says that surface owners’ agreement is needed for the placement of well sites for horizontal wells on their land. In particular the updated page links to advice to surface owners who might agree to use of their land for the right price and with the right protections. More
Advice Kayla Young August 26, 2019
This page on our website has been updated to include the effect of a recent West Virginia Supreme Court case that in essence says that surface owners’ agreement is needed for the placement of well sites for horizontal wells on their land. In particular the updated page links to advice to surface owners who might agree to use of their land for the right price and with the right protections. More
Updates from WV-SORO!
Updates and Alerts Kayla Young August 15, 2019
We've got quite a few updates for you! More
Issues: Horizontal wells, Well pads
Updates and Alerts Kayla Young August 15, 2019
We've got quite a few updates for you! More
Issues: Horizontal wells, Well pads
WVSORO files comment on PSC investigation into gas supplies for residential field taps on transmission lines
News, Updates and Alerts Kayla Young August 5, 2019
Residences and businesses in cities receive natural gas from lines owned by distribution companies. Those distribution companies get their gas from transmission lines. The transmissions lines get their gas from gathering lines that are attached to the gas wells. Many rural residences and businesses in areas where gas wells are located also receive natural gas […] More
News, Updates and Alerts Kayla Young August 5, 2019
Residences and businesses in cities receive natural gas from lines owned by distribution companies. Those distribution companies get their gas from transmission lines. The transmissions lines get their gas from gathering lines that are attached to the gas wells. Many rural residences and businesses in areas where gas wells are located also receive natural gas […] More
Help us with suggestions for, and experiences with, surface use agreements.
News, Updates and Alerts Kayla Young August 4, 2019
With the Crowder case finally decided in favor of surface owners by the West Virginia Supreme Court, surface owners can now (with rare exceptions) refuse to allow their surface to be used for a well pad for horizontal wells. Let us know what you'd like to see in a Surface Owners Agreement. More
News, Updates and Alerts Kayla Young August 4, 2019
With the Crowder case finally decided in favor of surface owners by the West Virginia Supreme Court, surface owners can now (with rare exceptions) refuse to allow their surface to be used for a well pad for horizontal wells. Let us know what you'd like to see in a Surface Owners Agreement. More
Information on the Marcellus Shale
Blog WVSORO August 4, 2019
Numerous links to resources for information on the Marcellus Shale More
Issues: Leasing, Marcellus shale, Oil and Gas
Blog WVSORO August 4, 2019
Numerous links to resources for information on the Marcellus Shale More
Issues: Leasing, Marcellus shale, Oil and Gas
WVSORO Legislation Presentation This Monday & Documentary Premiere on WV Surface Owners
Updates and Alerts Kayla Young July 17, 2019
WVSORO to present to Legislature on orphaned wells This Monday, Dave McMahon of WVSORO is going to present to a West Virginia Legislative interim committee on problems of and solutions for orphaned wells. The presentation will be Monday July 17, 2019 at 3 pm. The public can tune in to watch and listen by going […] More
Updates and Alerts Kayla Young July 17, 2019
WVSORO to present to Legislature on orphaned wells This Monday, Dave McMahon of WVSORO is going to present to a West Virginia Legislative interim committee on problems of and solutions for orphaned wells. The presentation will be Monday July 17, 2019 at 3 pm. The public can tune in to watch and listen by going […] More