SB 694 was passed by the West Virginia Legislature during its 2022 Regular Session on March 9. SB 694 represents a long awaited step forward for the oil and gas industry in West Virginia. The bill authorizes the creation of...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") has proposed rulemaking revisions to the regulation of methane and volatile organic compounds ("VOCs"). The proposed rulemaking was published in the Federal Register on...more
10/4/2019
/ Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) ,
Clean Air Act ,
Comment Period ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Methane ,
Natural Gas ,
New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) ,
Oil & Gas ,
Public Comment ,
Rescission ,
Trump Administration ,
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
H.B. 4270 -
Passed - March 10, 2018 -
Signed by Governor - March 27, 2018 -
Effective - June 8, 2018 -
The Information Reporting and Payments to Owners bill (H.B. 4270) is a companion bill to the Cotenancy...more
4/3/2018
/ Co-Ownership ,
Department of Environmental Protection ,
Gas Royalties ,
Horizontal Wells ,
Interest Accrual ,
Mineral Rights ,
New Legislation ,
Oil & Gas ,
Payment Terms ,
Private Right of Action ,
Reporting Requirements ,
State Legislatures
Summary of S.B. 360 -
SB 360 applies to flat rate royalty leases, i.e. leases for which the royalty is not "inherently related to the volume of oil and gas so extracted, produced, and marketed," and the conditions upon...more
Summary of H.B. 4268 -
At its core, the Cotenancy Modernization and Majority Protection Act ("Act") is a revision to the relationship between cotenants owning "oil or natural gas and their constituents." The Act is...more
House Bill 2811, amending the Aboveground Storage Tank ("AST") Act, previously passed the West Virginia House and Senate and then was signed by Governor Justice on April 4, 2017. Thus, the amendments to the AST Act included...more
In March 2016, we predicted that the Aboveground Storage Tank Act (“AST Act”) and changes to the Natural Gas Horizontal Well Control Act (“Horizontal Well Act”) legislative rules would be approved by the West Virginia...more
7/7/2016
/ Aboveground Storage Tanks ,
Certifications ,
Department of Environmental Protection ,
Fees ,
Final Rules ,
Horizontal Wells ,
New Regulations ,
Notice Requirements ,
Oil & Gas ,
Operation & Maintenance ,
Permits ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Storage Tanks
In This Issue:
- Northeast Natural Energy, LLC Making History for the Future of Energy:
Entrepreneurs are a special breed. The good ones have that special blend of vision, timing and risk tolerance most others lack....more
7/10/2015
/ Clean Water Act ,
Coal ,
Coal Industry ,
Department of Environmental Protection ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Fracking ,
Marcellus Shale ,
Natural Gas ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pipelines ,
Shell Oil
Although the W.Va. Aboveground Storage Tank Act, enacted this spring, is comprehensive in its scope—imposing new requirements for registration, permitting, inspection and certification, notice, spill response planning and...more
In This Issue:
- West Virginia Aboveground Storage Tank Act Interpretive Rule Filed and Emergency Rule Out for Comment:
The Aboveground Storage Tank Act was enacted in response to the January 9, 2014 spill that...more
10/9/2014
/ Dominion Resources ,
Duke Energy ,
Emergency Rule ,
Energy Projects ,
Liquid Natural Gas ,
Marcellus Shale ,
Natural Gas ,
New Legislation ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pipelines ,
Power Plants ,
Storage Tanks
Based on a recent decision in West Virginia’s 3rd Judicial Circuit, which includes Doddridge, Pleasants and Ritchie counties, the use of litigation in the form of partition suits may be more problematic than it otherwise has...more
Spilman Thomas & Battle, PLLC was very active during the West Virginia Legislative session on behalf of the natural gas industry regarding interest in the above referenced bill that was introduced in reaction to a chemical...more
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) released its report to the West Virginia Legislature in May on the study of “noise, light, dust and volatile organic compounds generated by the drilling of...more
In This Issue:
- Legislative Update: Pa. Passes Oil & Gas Lease Act:
On July 9, 2013, Governor Corbett signed the Oil and Gas Lease Act, Senate Bill No. 259 of 2013 (the"Act"), which amends Pennsylvania's...more
In This Issue:
- Finally -- Rules Governing W.Va. Horizontal Well Development
- N.Y. Appellate Court: Municipalities Can Ban O&G Activity
- Fracking Nearly Doubles Ohio Oil & Natural Gas Output
- Excerpt...more
The County Commission in Doddridge County, West Virginia is currently considering amendments to its Floodplain Ordinance as a result of a December 17, 2012 decision by the Circuit Court of Doddridge County. (Comments to the...more
In This Issue:
- W.Va. Legislative Update
- Pipeline Expansion Means Abundant Natural Gas for N.C.
- E&P Companies Join Forces with Environmentalists & Philanthropists
- Useful Resource: Ohio Utica Shale...more
In continuing our commitment to best serve our clients, we have been closely monitoring legislative changes in West Virginia that may affect the shale gas industry in the state. This update covers a new rule affecting...more
Although only tangentially related to oil and gas operations, the recent pipeline rupture and resulting fire near Charleston, West Virginia highlights the importance of safety inspections and the costs incurred when accidents...more