WEST virginia
legislature
2017 regular session
By
[
to the Committee on Energy then the Judiciary.
A BILL to amend the Code
of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated
§36-3-8a, relating to permitting surface owners on whose properties natural gas
producing wells are drilled and surface owners on whose property natural gas
pipelines cross to purchase gas at market rates.
Be it enacted by the
Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West
Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section,
designated §36-3-8a, to
read as follows:
ARTICLE 3. FORM AND EFFECT OF DEEDS AND CONTRACTS.
§36-3-8a. Natural gas leases; wells; pipelines; who may
purchase gas.
(a) A natural gas
company who drills a natural gas-producing well shall permit the owner of the
surface on whose property the well is drilled to purchase gas, at the market
rate, from that well, in addition to any free gas to which he or she may be
entitled.
(b) A natural gas
company shall also permit the surface owners on whose properties a natural gas
pipeline crosses to purchase gas, at the market rate, from that pipeline, in
addition to any free gas to which they may be entitled.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to permit surface
owners on whose properties natural gas- producing wells are drilled and surface
owners on whose property natural gas pipelines cross to purchase gas at market
rates.
Strike-throughs indicate language
that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring
indicates new language that would be added.