News & Analysis as of

Land Owners Well Drilling Mineral Leases

Houston Harbaugh, P.C.

Texas Supreme Court to Address the Obligation to Calculate Royalty on Gas Used to Fuel Off-Lease Operations

Houston Harbaugh, P.C. on

Let’s assume you own 165 acres in Tioga County. In 2019, you sign a new oil and gas lease with ABC Drilling. You negotiate an 18% net royalty. The royalty clause, however, requires ABC Drilling to calculate the royalty on...more

Houston Harbaugh, P.C.

Federal Court In Ohio Rules That Driller Must Establish Marketability of Each Gas Product Under Market Enhancement Clause

Houston Harbaugh, P.C. on

Let’s assume you own 95 acres in Greene County, Pennsylvania. In 2019, you signed an oil and gas lease with ABC Exploration. During the negotiations, you agreed that only those post-production costs which actually...more

Houston Harbaugh, P.C.

Ohio Federal Court Allows Subsurface Trespass Suit To Move Forward

Houston Harbaugh, P.C. on

This is a familiar yet troubling question. Imagine you own 135 acres in Washington County. You have received offers from several oil and gas drillers but have not yet signed a lease. Your neighbor, however, did sign a lease...more

Houston Harbaugh, P.C.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Appeal In Royalty Dispute

Houston Harbaugh, P.C. on

On February 15, 2023, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court agreed to hear the appeal of PennEnergy Resources, LLC in the Dressler Family, LP v. PennEnergy Resources, LLC matter. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s review of this...more

Houston Harbaugh, P.C.

Can "Free Gas" Clauses Refute the Artificial Wellhead Value Suggested by Drillers?

Houston Harbaugh, P.C. on

An oil and gas lease with a “free gas” clause may be a valuable tool for landowners to push back against drillers’ inaccurate attempts to value gas at the “wellhead”. Prior to the advent of Marcellus Shale drilling, "free...more

Houston Harbaugh, P.C.

Can Retroactive Pooling and Unitization Revive An Expired Lease?

As we have written about before, a troubling issue facing landowners in the Marcellus Shale region is the practice of retroactive pooling and unitization. Retroactive pooling and unitization occurs when a driller records an...more

Steptoe & Johnson PLLC

Pennsylvania Court Upholds Cross-Unit Drilling Under Act 85

Steptoe & Johnson PLLC on

On January 24, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania held that Act 85 of 2019, which permits drilling horizontal oil and gas wells across existing drilling units, is not unconstitutional....more

Houston Harbaugh, P.C.

Ohio Court of Appeals Upholds Depth Severance Clause in Lease

Houston Harbaugh, P.C. on

Let’s assume you own 125 acres in Greene County, Pennsylvania. A landman from XYZ Gas Co. approaches you about a new oil and gas lease. The lease purports to grant XYZ Gas Co. exclusive drilling rights to the Marcellus...more

Houston Harbaugh, P.C.

Federal Appeals Court Rules That Driller Must Establish Marketability of Each Gas Product under Market Enhancement Clause

Houston Harbaugh, P.C. on

Many Pennsylvania oil and gas leases have what is commonly known as a “market enhancement” royalty clause (“MEC”). These MEC leases typically prohibit the deduction of any post-production costs that are incurred transforming...more

Houston Harbaugh, P.C.

Texas Appellate Court Rules that Lease Terminated Due to Twelve Months of Non-Production

Houston Harbaugh, P.C. on

The modern producing gas well is a sophisticated and complex piece of equipment. The basic well head itself consists of several meters, valves and other components, each of which is under constant stress and pressure. ...more

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