WV SORO Press Release

November 9, 2009

Contacts:        Senator Randy White (304) 644-2557
                        Julie Archer, WV Surface Owners’ Rights Organization, (304) 346-5891

WV Surface Owners’ Rights Organization to Host Meeting on Oil and Gas Leasing, Drilling, and Surface Owners' Rights

Recent oil and gas exploration activity in and around Webster County has citizens wondering what is going on.  Many are asking themselves, “Should I lease my mineral rights and for how much money?”  Others are wondering, “What rights do I have as a landowner if a gas company wants to drill on my property?”

Landowners can get answers to these questions and more at a December 1 meeting hosted by the WV Surface Owners’ Rights Organization (WV-SORO). Senator Randy White (D-Webster) has asked WV-SORO to hold an educational meeting on oil and gas leasing and surface owners’ rights in Webster Springs.  The meeting will begin at 6:00PM at the Town of Addison Municipal Building, 146 McGraw Avenue, Webster Springs.

David McMahon, a public interest lawyer and co-founder of the WV Surface Owners’ Rights Organization (WV SORO), will give a presentation with a question and answer period to follow. McMahon is also author of the WV Surface Owners’ Guide to Oil & Gas whichhelps landowners assess their situation, outlines what rights they have and gives them step-by-step suggestions on what they should do when they get a notice of an application for a permit, what to do while the oil or gas well is being drilled, what to do after drilling is completed and what to do to get compensated for damages.

“In recent years, drilling permits in WV have skyrocketed from 900 per year to as many as 3,000 so we hear from lots of furious landowners who believe they’ve been run over,” commented McMahon. “Our organization is focused on educating landowners about their rights and pushing of the public policy and regulatory changes needed to make these rights easier to enforce and to ensure landowners receive fair compensation for their losses and inconveniences.”

In addition, to discussing the rights of those who own only the surface, the presentation will cover oil and gas leasing for those who are considering leasing their minerals, including information on bad provisions in leases and discuss additional surface owner protections that landowners can insist on before signing a lease. Most mineral owners don’t know that there are usually bad provisions in leases that can and should be crossed out and that they can insist on lease add-ons or addendums that provide additional protections for their land.  Most leases don't offer adequate surface protections.  Those fortunate enough to own their minerals can negotiate these protections into their leases if they are made aware of this before they sign.

“Most importantly, when landowners are considering leasing their minerals we strongly urge them to think long term. The money may be attractive but they need to think about what they or future generations may want to do with the land,” said McMahon. “There are also environmental and quality of life issues associated with oil and gas drilling that must be considered.”  Many of these issues will be discussed at the December 1 meeting.

The WV Surface Owners’ Guide to Oil & Gas, a guide for citizens who are to considering leasing and a number of other resources for surface and mineral owners are available at www.wvsoro.org.