Posts by WVSORO
465 posts found, showing 20 per page
Slideshow Index
Slide WVSORO May 4, 2022
Click here to start the slideshow, or click any thumbnail or slide title to go directly to that slide. Text below is only and excerpt from each slide. Return to slideshow intro page. More
Slide WVSORO May 4, 2022
Click here to start the slideshow, or click any thumbnail or slide title to go directly to that slide. Text below is only and excerpt from each slide. Return to slideshow intro page. 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
Surface owners, royalty owners, environmental advocats urge Gov to put bill for more gas well inspectors on special session call
News WVSORO April 15, 2022
Issues: DEP, Oil and Gas
News WVSORO April 15, 2022
Dominion Post: Royalty owners, environmental advocates urge Gov. Justice to put bill for more gas well inspectors on special session call
Charleston Gazette: Environmental, royalty and surface owner advocates pressure Justice to add oil and gas inspector increase to special session
MoreIssues: DEP, Oil and Gas
Comments submitted on Department of the Interior guidance for first $25 Million to plug orphaned wells
Blog WVSORO April 1, 2022
WVSORO commented on the Department of the Interior's draft guidance for the first $25 Million coming to West Virginia to plug orphaned wells pursuant to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021. More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Orphaned wells
Blog WVSORO April 1, 2022
WVSORO commented on the Department of the Interior's draft guidance for the first $25 Million coming to West Virginia to plug orphaned wells pursuant to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021. More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Orphaned wells
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
Blog, Leasing / 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
Blog, Leasing / 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
West Virginia landowners need your help!
Updates and Alerts WVSORO February 28, 2022
West Virginia used to have only 1oil and gas inspector for every 4000 oil and gas wells! And there are 75,000 wells and more than 20,000 associated tanks. During that time a study by Princeton and McGill universities found that a sample of 79 active, conventional, vertical wells in 13 counties was leaking an average of 9 cubic feet of gas – per hour. More
Issues: DEP, Oil and Gas, Pollution
Updates and Alerts WVSORO February 28, 2022
West Virginia used to have only 1oil and gas inspector for every 4000 oil and gas wells! And there are 75,000 wells and more than 20,000 associated tanks. During that time a study by Princeton and McGill universities found that a sample of 79 active, conventional, vertical wells in 13 counties was leaking an average of 9 cubic feet of gas – per hour. More
Issues: DEP, Oil and Gas, Pollution
Tell Legislators: Fully Fund the DEP Office of Oil & Gas
Updates and Alerts WVSORO February 13, 2022
The DEP Office of Oil and Gas is in a funding and staffing crisis. Currently, the Office only has 9 inspectors overseeing approximately 75,000 wells and 28,000 tanks across the state. That’s 1 inspector for every 8,000 wells. Bottom line: DEP needs more resources to properly manage its oil and gas program, and the industry should pay its fair share for doing business in the state. Urge your legislators to support solutions to the funding and staffing crisis. More
Issues: DEP, Legislation, Pollution
Updates and Alerts WVSORO February 13, 2022
The DEP Office of Oil and Gas is in a funding and staffing crisis. Currently, the Office only has 9 inspectors overseeing approximately 75,000 wells and 28,000 tanks across the state. That’s 1 inspector for every 8,000 wells. Bottom line: DEP needs more resources to properly manage its oil and gas program, and the industry should pay its fair share for doing business in the state. Urge your legislators to support solutions to the funding and staffing crisis. More
Issues: DEP, Legislation, Pollution
Lack of Inspections Leads to Leaking Gas Wells
Press Release WVSORO February 7, 2022
A 2018 study by Princeton and McGill Universities has come to light showing that 53% of active, conventional, vertical gas wells were leaking an average of 9 cubic feet of gas -- an hour. Lack of inspections lead to the leaking wells discovered in the study. More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Orphaned wells, Pollution
Press Release WVSORO February 7, 2022
A 2018 study by Princeton and McGill Universities has come to light showing that 53% of active, conventional, vertical gas wells were leaking an average of 9 cubic feet of gas -- an hour. Lack of inspections lead to the leaking wells discovered in the study. More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Orphaned wells, Pollution
Surface Owners’ News – Fall 2021
Newsletter WVSORO December 1, 2021
This issue includes several articles on the problems with unplugged, orphaned oil and gas wells, and what is (and isn't) being done to address these problems. We also take a look back at the 2021 legislative session, and a look ahead to 2022. More
Issues: Aboveground tanks, DEP, Legislation, Orphaned wells
Newsletter WVSORO December 1, 2021
This issue includes several articles on the problems with unplugged, orphaned oil and gas wells, and what is (and isn't) being done to address these problems. We also take a look back at the 2021 legislative session, and a look ahead to 2022. More
Issues: Aboveground tanks, DEP, Legislation, Orphaned wells
A study by scientists conventional vertical wells in West Virginia
Document WVSORO November 23, 2021
Issues: Abandoned wells
Document WVSORO November 23, 2021
Issues: Abandoned wells
What a depleted oil or gas well should look like after it is plugged
Resource Gallery WVSORO November 3, 2021
Plugged well cross-section drawing and Monuments the driller is supposed to leave after the well is plugged More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Oil and Gas, Pollution
Resource Gallery WVSORO November 3, 2021
Plugged well cross-section drawing and Monuments the driller is supposed to leave after the well is plugged More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Oil and Gas, Pollution
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
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
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
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
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
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