Current Issues and Events

Current Issues and Events

GOOD NEWS, KINDA, ON THE DIVERSIFIED LAW SUIT TO GET IT (AND EQT) TO PLUG MORE WELLS.
News WVSORO Jan 17 2025
Diversified has been buying up wells from EQT and others -- wells that we know, based on calculations from its public disclosures, Diversified will not end up having the money to eventually plug. Diversified is milking the last gas and oil out of the declining wells and selling it to pay to itself and stockholders (and sponsor WVU sports) instead of using or banking the money to plug more of its wells. The "kinda" good news is that the law suit has settled. The bad news is that it is not all we had hoped for. If you have a Diversified well that is on your property what does this settlement mean for you? You may get a notice or see one in the paper which will give you the option to opt out of the class. Should you do so? More
WVSORO joins comments to EPA against West Virginia being given primacy for regulation of carbon sequestration injection wells because, in part, West Virginia’s has failed so miserably to regulate abandoned wells (and abandoned mine lands).
News WVSORO Jan 14 2025
Some say enabling carbon sequestration of CO2 from power plants and other industries is bad because it just delays total renewable energy.  Some say it is necessary as a bridge.  WVSORO says, IF it is going to be done, and indeed if it CAN be done, it should be done right.  More
Issues: Injection wells
WVSORO comments on Hope Gas line abandonment and alternatives for field tap gas customers.
Tap Gas WVSORO Jan 7 2025
This issue is not to be confused with “free gas”.  Free gas is what some surface homeowners get when there is a gas well on their property.  Field taps (often called "farm taps") are where rural surface owners with gathering or transmission lines across them are allowed to tap into the pipeline, set a meter, and pay for natural gas service.  More
Issues: Oil and Gas
WV SORO 2024 Legislative Summary; ALERT: Landmen Buying Pore Space Rights
Updates and Alerts WVSORO Mar 19 2024
Below is a summary of WV SORO's actions on bills during the 2024 West Virginia Legislature's regular session, which ended March 9. During the session we also learned that there are land agents going door to door trying to get surface owners to sign away rights to the pore space in the rock formations under their land, and we need to educate surface owners about that. So this is intended to kill two birds with one stone. We will start with the alert since it is shorter. More
Issues: LeasingLegislationPore space
WVSORO comments on newest proposed EPA methane rule.
Blog WVSORO Feb 20 2023
EPA's proposed rule only requires inspections of well sites by "AVO" -- audio, visual, and olfactory means.  We are not making this up!  Methane has no smell, and can't be seen, and only big leaks make sounds!   Handheld methane detectors start at $31 to $100 dollars and should be used! More
Issues: EPAMethaneOil and Gas