By Brian J. Skinner, Esq. After eight years of efforts to enact legislation addressing unitization or forced pooling of natural gas, the Legislature finally succeeded. Sponsored by Senators Tarr and Nelson, Senate Bill 694 sets out the property rights of surface owners when it comes to the drilling for natural gas by the use of …Read More
By Brian Skinner, Esq. Oil and gas issues were not at the top of the 85th West Virginia Legislature’s agenda during its first regular session. Only one bill directly related to the industry was enacted. Senate Bill 404 amends the Natural Gas Horizontal Well Control Act by authorizing the state Department of Environmental Protection to …Read More
Charleston Gazette-Mail — By Joe Severino Staff writer – October 10, 2020 The Brooke County Power plant project is off, at least for now. The company behind the project, Energy Solutions Consortium, announced Friday the project won’t be moving forward, for the time being. “Due to changing conditions in the energy and financial markets, the company …Read More
WV News — By Matt Harvey — October 6, 2020 CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WV News) — West Virginia’s Supreme Court justices heard arguments Tuesday on whether oil and gas companies owe tax on items like sleeping quarters, rented portable toilets and industrial-size trash containers at horizontal drilling sites. At issue is a consumer sales tax assessment …Read More
Reuter’s – By Jarrett Renshaw – August 31, 2020 PITTSBURGH (Reuters) – Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said on Monday he would not ban hydraulic fracturing, a controversial method of drilling for crude oil and natural gas, if elected and called Republican assertions that he supports such a ban a lie. More . . . …Read More
By Brian Skinner, Esq. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a large-scale shutdown of the West Virginia economy. But of course, the state is not alone in seeing its economy stifled by the pandemic. Market disruptions and business interruptions have occurred world-wide. And, it is likely that the impact of the COVID-19 will continue well …Read More