Post by Good Mind Seeds on Apr 19, 2012 9:23:04 GMT -5
www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_791881.html
An Oklahoma energy company ignoring a Beaver County township's stop-work order claims it needs only to apply for a conditional-use permit, not to obtain one, before it can drill a Marcellus shale gas well.
The legal wrangling is the latest development in a convoluted battle between a group of landowners and Chesapeake Energy Corp., the country's second-largest producer of natural gas.
The landowners, including members of the McRoberts family of Darlington, claim Chesapeake bought invalid leases from another company and then tried to trick people into signing documents to legitimize the leases, said James Brink, a lawyer representing the landowners.
Disputed leases expire April 25, so the company is trying to drill a well before then to keep the mineral rights, he said.
Chesapeake spokeswoman Stacey Brodak said the company believes its lease is valid.
"We would not be preparing and drilling this well were that not the case, and the court granted us a temporary restraining order preventing the McRobertses from interfering with our operations," she wrote in an email. "We anticipate having a commercially productive well on this property soon, which will pay the McRobertses substantial royalties."
When the family refused to let a tree-cutting crew on the property last month, Chesapeake sued in federal court and obtained a restraining order.
The company then started moving earth without a conditional-use permit. Darlington zoning officer Jeffrey Frye issued a cease-and-desist order, citing a section of the township's oil and gas ordinance that says a company needs a permit before commencing work.
Chesapeake responded with a letter citing a different section of the ordinance that it contends says the company needs only to apply for a permit before starting work.
Frye could not be reached for comment.
Brink said the company's response shows it's willing to take any position to hold onto the questionable leases.
"I've never seen such utter disregard," he said.
An Oklahoma energy company ignoring a Beaver County township's stop-work order claims it needs only to apply for a conditional-use permit, not to obtain one, before it can drill a Marcellus shale gas well.
The legal wrangling is the latest development in a convoluted battle between a group of landowners and Chesapeake Energy Corp., the country's second-largest producer of natural gas.
The landowners, including members of the McRoberts family of Darlington, claim Chesapeake bought invalid leases from another company and then tried to trick people into signing documents to legitimize the leases, said James Brink, a lawyer representing the landowners.
Disputed leases expire April 25, so the company is trying to drill a well before then to keep the mineral rights, he said.
Chesapeake spokeswoman Stacey Brodak said the company believes its lease is valid.
"We would not be preparing and drilling this well were that not the case, and the court granted us a temporary restraining order preventing the McRobertses from interfering with our operations," she wrote in an email. "We anticipate having a commercially productive well on this property soon, which will pay the McRobertses substantial royalties."
When the family refused to let a tree-cutting crew on the property last month, Chesapeake sued in federal court and obtained a restraining order.
The company then started moving earth without a conditional-use permit. Darlington zoning officer Jeffrey Frye issued a cease-and-desist order, citing a section of the township's oil and gas ordinance that says a company needs a permit before commencing work.
Chesapeake responded with a letter citing a different section of the ordinance that it contends says the company needs only to apply for a permit before starting work.
Frye could not be reached for comment.
Brink said the company's response shows it's willing to take any position to hold onto the questionable leases.
"I've never seen such utter disregard," he said.