Gas Company wants to install pipeline under my land; Please help!

[two_bit_score]

With the older leases, pipelines were not addressed. The landmen left that for others to worry about, they were after leasing land for the well pads. Which then leaves a lot of ticked off people with older leases who have been dealing with the companies for a while now and realize that to them time is money. Every day you hold them up every delay they have cost them money. They will go the easier route. Just be a thorn

Do common carrier pipelines in PA have eminent domain authority?

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[forgeblast]

No they dont have eminent domain yet.
Eminent domain? It's an imminent problem for Pennsylvania | PennLive.com (just an editorial on it but its by a professor from Shippensburg U.)

 

[two_bit_score]

No they dont have eminent domain yet.
Eminent domain? It's an imminent problem for Pennsylvania | PennLive.com (just an editorial on it but its by a professor from Shippensburg U.)

That's distinctive. The situation is much, much different in states where they do. When the pipelines have eminent domain authority the landowners are really over a barrel.

 

[mojoinco]

I know very little, but I read some about leasing your mineral rights out here in Colorado. Chesapeake Energy sent landmen around to contract out the mineral rights. We only own 1/2 of ours, but that may not matter.

If they can get a percentage (I forget the exact %) ~60% of the rights to a section of land they can force the rest to take a default contract that the state has deemed enough. There are new standards coming that require some improvements to the impacts to homes around the drilling operation. Not sure of the rest, but they have to use a 500' setback. Not sure if Chesapeake got enough land together to not need our rights, but they stopped coming around. My wife requested a copy of the proposed contract (the landman acted shocked she wanted to read it) and we never heard back from him.

Maybe we aren't important enough (value wise). A geo company just completed a thumper geo survey for Conoco. We will see what comes of that. We were at the edge of it, so no idea if they might come over our way and do more. I suppose it all takes time to happen. Might be real important to re-read this and other posts then!

I found this page: http://www.mineralrightsforum.com/county-groups

 

[forgeblast]

They love to keep everyone (neighbors) in the dark about what they said to each other. Around here the best leases (mostly) were signed by landowner groups. I also would not sign a thing unless an oil and gas lawyer went over it.

 

[two_bit_score]

I know very little, but I read some about leasing your mineral rights out here in Colorado. Chesapeake Energy sent landmen around to contract out the mineral rights. We only own 1/2 of ours, but that may not matter.

If they can get a percentage (I forget the exact %) ~60% of the rights to a section of land they can force the rest to take a default contract that the state has deemed enough. There are new standards coming that require some improvements to the impacts to homes around the drilling operation. Not sure of the rest, but they have to use a 500' setback. Not sure if Chesapeake got enough land together to not need our rights, but they stopped coming around. My wife requested a copy of the proposed contract (the landman acted shocked she wanted to read it) and we never heard back from him.

Maybe we aren't important enough (value wise). A geo company just completed a thumper geo survey for Conoco. We will see what comes of that. We were at the edge of it, so no idea if they might come over our way and do more. I suppose it all takes time to happen. Might be real important to re-read this and other posts then!

I found this page: http://www.mineralrightsforum.com/county-groups

No landman ever tells a mineral owner anything but "you're on the edge of the play and they are just wanting to lease you in case it goes that far but it probably won't."

I mean really, how could they say, "Sir, your minerals are right in the middle of one of the biggest pays in the western US and I'm authorized to lease your land for $200 an acre, 1/8 royalty and thats at the well with you paying prorate transportation costs"? :laughing:

 

[two_bit_score]

They love to keep everyone (neighbors) in the dark about what they said to each other. Around here the best leases (mostly) were signed by landowner groups. I also would not sign a thing unless an oil and gas lawyer went over it.

And a good one that will represent landowners and isnt conflicted out can be extremely hard to find.

 

[sparc]

We bought 31 acres June 2010.

Thursday, while I was out of town, we received a call from someone who said he represented Energy Transfer (a Gas Company) and he'd like to do a survey of our land so they could re-route a proposed gas line. He said it would run from somewhere near us to Mt Belvieu, TX.

Friday I returned his call. After much resistance (from me) and persuasion (from him) I agreed to meet him out there this evening...

This evening we met and he tried to explain everything. He wanted me to sign a document giving his Company permission to do the survey. I asked for a copy, he said he didnt have one (wierd). I asked him to email me a copy, he said he would. Then he said they could survey tomorrow morning and I could sign the document at my liesure, as long as I gave verbal permission. I said, sure whatever. If that's all your gonna do, fine. On the way home I decided I would rather wait. I called him and told him to postpone the survey. I said I want to have the document reviewed. I said I wanted to give it more thought. He said he would postpone. And he would email the document. A moment later he called and said he forgot to give us a disclosure and a homeowner rights pamphlet.

I think it is wierd he didn't have a copy of the document. I think its wierd he conveniently forgot to give us the homeowner right pamphlet, and only offered after he new I was gonna have the document reviewed.

Anyone know anything about gas easements? According to some google search; they dont have eminent domain since it is intrastate.

Do I tell them I'm not willing? Do I ask for a pile of money? I certainly dont want to lessen the value of my land. I dont need the money. But I do want to appreciated my land indefinitely. And I want my heirs to be able to sell the land at market value some time down the road.

Any info would be much appreciated. Thanx!!

btw: I've been out of pocket for several months. Now that I'm back at work and now that the temperature is more reasonable - I hope to get back in the groove. Hope to hear from you. Thanx!!

I know this is an old thread but I can't help wondering if the seller that you bought the land from knew this was coming, and maybe knew he didn't stand a chance of stopping them from coming through his property (now yours). Did he seem to be in a hurry to sell? He may have given any excuse for selling, doesn't mean that was why he was selling. When you do (did) your research on this gas transmission company did you find out how long they have been in the planning stage for this particular ROW that may cross your property. If it predates your purchase I would be curious, maybe even suspicious. You hopefully got a lawyer and mentioned all this to him if he didn't suggest it on his own.

 

[DB Pilot]

Just from personal experience I have had the Gas and Power companies at a few different times tell me they were going to put a line across my property. Company workers (not managers) said "we will get this done with or without your agreement". Both times I said "you might get your way but not with my permission". Have been at this residence since 1980 still haven't been bothered with gas or power lines except of course on the road. I think that if they get even a hint that you don't care about your land they will proceed. Just say NO seems to be very good advice.

 

[Bdavis]

I knew Missisippi had passed a constitutional amendment about Eminent domain. WHen I did a little more research I found the following listed below.Looks like to me there are so many exemptions (including common carriers ) that the constitutional amendment is worthless and they can just do what they want.

No Surprise to me !

"In November 2011, Mississippi voters approved a constitutional
amendment, Initiative 31, limiting governments' ability to seize property
for economic development. As approved, the
measure prohibits state and local government from taking private property by eminent domain
and then conveying it to other persons or businesses for a period of 10 years. However, the
measure allows for an exemption for levee facilities, roads, bridges, ports, airports, common
carriers, drainage facilities, public utilities, and other entities used in the generation,
transmission, storage or distribution of telephone, telecommunication, gas carbon dioxide,
electricity, water, sewer, natural gas, liquid hydrocarbons or other utility products."