Pooling May be Forced on Marcellus Shale Area Residents
The Marcellus Shale natural gas industry is lobbying for legislation that would force property owners in the Marcellus Shale region to allow drilling for natural gas on their land if other property owners approve the request but they refuse. Referred to as “forced pooling,” the pooling order would set forth the terms and conditions of the forced lease, such as compensation for the reluctant property owner.
The purpose of pooling is to group adjoining mineral rights leases to form a larger drilling unit, and according to the industry, results in more economical drilling. Property owners with mineral rights would lease his or her interest in exchange for a royalty share. In Pennsylvania, the industry wants to add the statute to the severance tax to be adopted by the state.
If you are a property owner and you are opposed to drilling on your property, or if your well has been contaminated or your property has been damaged by well drilling, you may have a claim for damages against a drilling rig operator or the gas exploration company. The Marcellus Shale gas accident lawyers at Munley, Munley & Cartwright can advise you on your options. The attorneys at Munley, Munley & Cartwright represent victims who have been injured through no fault of their own. Contact us at 1-800-318-LAW1 or submit a free online claim evaluation.
Marion Munley
Marion Munley is recognized for her compassionate representation of catastrophically injured clients and her steadfast dedication to them and their families. Her advocacy has produced numerous multimillion-dollar recoveries, including one of the largest trucking accident settlements on record. Marion is Triple Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in Civil Trial, Civil Practice, and Truck Law, and since 2023 has been named one of Pennsylvania’s Top 10 Super Lawyers by Super Lawyers.
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