Pooling Removed From W.Va. Marcellus Measure
Charleston Gazette
21 February 2011
By The Associated Press
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - West Virginia lawmakers are dropping the
concept of forced pooling from proposed rules for the Marcellus shale
natural gas field.
A House Judiciary subcommittee voted late Monday to remove the pooling
language. It then advanced the pending legislation to the full
committee.
The remaining provisions propose an array of rules for drilling
operations. Topics include the method for extracting gas, which
involves a high-volume mix of water and chemicals.
Pooling involves cases where a proposed well would tap an area with
multiple owners of the mineral rights. An unwilling minority owner
could be forced to sign off, but in exchange for compensation.
Pooling supporters say current practices can leave owners uncompensated
and excluded from drilling agreements.