Real Estate & Property Law

Owner's Gas Storage Rights

By Alan Ackerman

Mirror Takes

A Texas-based private natural gas company says it is filing for control of several Clearville properties after more than a year of unsuccessful communication and outreach with landowners who do not support its proposed project.

Meanwhile, a major federal regulatory agency is concerned about the landowners' complaints and has filed for additional time and a rehearing addressing the potential project.

Spectra Energy's Steckman Ridge natural gas storage facility was approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in early June.

…One of the major concerns of local residents is the possibility of losing out on royalties from the Marcellus Shale, a long section of sedimentary rock along the East Coast believed to harbor large amounts of untapped natural gas reserves.

If the storage facility is in place, designed to hold imported reserves from across the country or other nations, drilling for local reserves would be impossible.

…Spectra expects the 12-billion cubic foot facility to be completed and in service in April.

The Texas firm attempting to privatize the owner's gas and gas storage rights should carefully assess the economic (acquisition) costs of the project.  The owners have clear and succinct rights to compensation.  A close reading of the article verifies that such did not apply in this situation.

Full post as published by National Eminent Domain Blog on July 31, 2008 (boomark / email).