When a gas company intends to construct a well pad on a Landowners property, gas companies typically present Landowners legal contracts often identified as “Surface Use Agreements”, “Well Pad Consent Agreement”, or “Damage Releases” or similar documents. Different gas companies use different boilerplate form documents as contracts for well pad sites.
Gas companies typically present Landowners with boilerplate form contracts prior to the construction of a well site, or well pad, on their property. A contract for the installation of a well site may come in many different forms, depending on the gas company involved. Also the type of Well Pad Agreement may vary depending on the terms contained in the Landowner’s original oil and gas lease. Well pad construction and horizontal drilling are serious industrial operations and contracts and Agreements covering these operations must be carefully scrutinized by an experienced Oil and Gas Lawyer.
Many times Landowners sign Agreements for well pad and access road development and unknowingly give up important rights already contained in their existing oil and gas lease. A Landowner must be very careful not to give up rights they negotiated or obtained in their Oil and Gas Lease when signing an Agreement for a well pad or access road development. It is even possible that a Landowner could give up personal liability protection by signing a bad Well Pad Agreement.
Once a Landowner is notified of a proposed well site or access road on their property, the Landowner should immediately contact an experienced Oil and Gas Attorney to represent their interests. An effective Well Pad and Access Road Agreement will identify the pad and road size and location, restrict the company to defined areas of operations and clearing, minimize Clean and Green or other negative tax consequences, protect the Landowner from personal liability and much more.
Attorney Doug Clark negotiates Well Pad and Access Road Agreements for the highest compensation and strongest property protections possible. If you are approached by a gas company seeking to install a well pad and/or access road on your property, protect yourself and call The Clark Law Firm, PC. Attorney Doug Clark is Pennsylvania’s Landowner Lawyer and he can help you. Contact us today.
