Does the Texas Supreme Court’s Decision in Cactus Water Services v. COG Operating Provide Guidance About Lithium and Rare Earth Minerals Ownership in Pennsylvania?
Lithium demand is expected to continue to increase as...more
8/1/2025
/ Contract Disputes ,
Contract Interpretation ,
Energy Sector ,
Fracking ,
Land Owners ,
Lithium Batteries ,
Mineral Extraction ,
Mineral Leases ,
Mineral Rights ,
Natural Gas ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pennsylvania ,
Property Owners ,
Rare Earth Metals ,
Texas ,
TX Supreme Court ,
Wastewater ,
Water ,
Water Rights
In a June 13, 2025 decision, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court held that a municipality impermissibly granted conditional use approval to an oil and gas well pad and interconnect facility on tax lots that were already...more
6/25/2025
/ Appeals ,
Conditional Use Permit ,
Environmental Litigation ,
Interconnections ,
Judicial Authority ,
Local Ordinance ,
Municipalities ,
Natural Gas ,
Oil & Gas ,
Oil Wells ,
PA Supreme Court ,
Pennsylvania ,
Permits ,
Property Owners ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Rural Development ,
Zoning Laws
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 102 Moves Forward-
On May 12, 2025, Pennsylvania Senate Bill 102 was referred to the Pennsylvania Senate Appropriations Committee. The draft legislation had originally been referred to the...more
5/28/2025
/ Energy Policy ,
Impact Fees ,
Municipalities ,
Natural Gas ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pennsylvania ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Utility ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
Zoning Laws
In a February 7, 2025 decision in Simon v. Sunoco Pipeline LP, No. 2015-3302 (Wash. Cty. February 7, 2025), the Court of Common Pleas of Washington County, Pennsylvania concluded that Sunoco Pipeline LP and Sunoco Logistics...more
2/24/2025
/ Eminent Domain ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
FERC ,
Infrastructure ,
Jurisdiction ,
Litigation Strategies ,
Natural Gas ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pennsylvania ,
Pipelines ,
Property Owners ,
Public Utility ,
State and Local Government
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 1346 which was introduced at the end of the 2023-2024 legislative session. Its aim was to restrict the distribution of unconventional gas well fees to municipalities whose zoning ordinances...more
2/12/2025
/ Energy Policy ,
Energy Sector ,
Municipalities ,
Natural Gas ,
New Legislation ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pennsylvania ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Utilities Commission ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
State and Local Government ,
Zoning Laws
On September 6, 2024, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania denied dueling summary judgment motions concerning the interpretation of a royalty provision in Chambers v. Equinor USA Onshore...more
Leases for solar energy facilities offer property owners the potential for a predictable, long-term revenue stream. But, because of the potential decades-long duration of a lease for solar energy facilities, things like...more
A company in New York is attempting to secure leases to allow it to produce oil and gas and to use the leased land for a carbon dioxide injection program for long-term storage. Does this herald a new type of development that...more
An oil and gas lease with a “free gas” clause may be a valuable tool for landowners to push back against drillers’ inaccurate attempts to value gas at the “wellhead”. Prior to the advent of Marcellus Shale drilling, "free...more
Many Pennsylvania oil and gas leases have what is commonly known as a “market enhancement” royalty clause. These clauses typically prohibit the deduction of any post-production costs that are incurred transforming the raw gas...more