May 20, 2008

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, June 3, 2008 ~ WV SORO Meeting in Putnam County
7PM ~ Main Putnam County Courthouse (not the Judicial Annex), 3389 Winfield Road, Winfield, WV
The meeting will include a presentation & question and answer session on surface owners' rights, and a discussion of legislative options for expanding surface owners' rights in West Virginia.
For more information contact Norm Steenstra at (304)-346-5891 or norm@wvsoro.org.

Thursday, June 5, 2008 ~ Tyler County Farm Bureau Meeting on Oil & Gas Drilling
7PM ~ Tyler County Consolidated High School, 1993 Silver Knight Drive, Sistersville, WV
Dave McMahon, Attorney, WV SORO founder and author of the WV Surface Owners' Guide to Oil & Gas is the featured speaker.
Topics of discussion will include surface owners' rights and general information on leasing for surface owners who also own their minerals. 
This meeting is sponsored by the WV Farm Bureau. WV SORO members are welcome to attend. 
For more information contact Jamie Kinsey at 304) 472-2080 ext. 301 or jamiek@wvfarm.org.

WV SORO Launches Leasing Educational Campaign
Our main focus will continue to be educating people and serving as a resource on surface owners' rights. However we have been getting call after call with questions from landowners who have been approached by landmen with “standard” oil and gas leases for them to sign. As a result we have launched a new campaign to educate landowners about leasing the minerals under their land. We now have a new guide which explains more about leasing and things to consider before signing a lease.  This guide is available at the new ‘Leasing’ page at our website, along with other leasing information including links to forums where people can exchange information with their neighbors on what is being offered for up-front payments and royalty percentage. WV SORO representatives are also attending local meetings to discuss leasing issues. 

Surface Owners' Rights Subject of Interim Study
Legislators are wrapping up their first legislative interim meetings of 2008, where the various committees were briefed on their study assignments.  Subcommittee A of the Joint Judiciary Committee will be looking at existing law and regulation of oil and gas drilling by the State of West Virginia and whether the law should be updated or otherwise changed to improve protection of the public interest and the varying interests of surface owners as well as the feasibility of requiring free, wholesale or retail gas for surface owners.  We'll keep you posted and let you know specific times and dates when our our issues will be taken up and when we need calls to committee members.