West Virginia is a place I still call home even though I have not lived in the area for 14 years. I love and respect the people and the land very much. This adoration is the sole purpose for today's blog. It has come to my attention that underneath the great states of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York lies one of the biggest areas for natural gas in the county, the Marcellus Shale. Due to recent discoveries in stimulation technology, natural gas drillers are excited about the possibilities for potential profits. This excitement has led to many drillers from Texas—my current home— to travel to these states in hopes of leasing mineral rights from landowners.
Because the technicalities involved with natural gas leasing are not common knowledge to many in the Marcellus Shale states, I strongly urge each and every landowner to carefully read these contracts, consult with your neighbors about what they are being offered, ask questions, familiarize yourself with oil and gas terms, and definitely examine how the citizens of North Texas have responded to its recent natural gas boom within the Barnett Shale.
I am not saying — by any means—that citizens of West Virginia and other states emulate Texas. Yet, I am saying that there is a lot to be learned from the mistakes and benefits that these citizens encountered. This blog is simply, a call for action and a preemptive warning to protect and preserve an area before damage occurs.
