At Rosenn Jenkins & Greenwald, LLP, we recognize the boon that the Utica and Marcellus shale formations have created for natural gas exploration and energy development throughout northern and western Pennsylvania.
Unfortunately, in haste to make money, many Pennsylvanians signed oil and gas leases without having them properly reviewed — or had them reviewed by attorneys who did not have experience with those kinds of leases. If you find yourself in a dispute with an oil or gas company over their rights on your property, we may be able to assist.
Reviewing Gas and Oil Leases
If an oil company landman or lawyer comes your way, you want a skilled lawyer with knowledge and understanding of pipeline right-of-way agreements and oil and gas leases to make certain your rights are protected. Since these leases or rights-of-way may exist for the remainder of your life and well beyond, our lawyers review and negotiate terms for leases and agreements that benefit the landowner against companies seeking to take advantage of the valuable resources and pathways under and on your property.
The fact is that an oil lease, gas lease or pipeline agreement can affect your property, your family and your life for years to come. If a dispute arises between you and the gas company, it will be governed by the terms of the lease you sign. While we can make the argument that you did not understand what you were signing, it’s much better if we can have the law and the contract on our side. Potential disputes may arise from various issues, including:
- Not understanding the terms and provisions of an oil or gas lease or a right-of-way agreement
- Not having sufficient property protections for environmental concerns, water contamination, preservation, endangered species or other characteristics of your property
- Confusion as to royalty percentages and deductions from royalties
- Misinformation provided by an oil company lawyer or gas company landsman
- Signing an initial offer without reviewing or negotiating other offers
- Automatic extensions of the lease term or automatic delay of royalty payments
Disputes Arising from Your Oil and Gas Lease
Our oil and gas dispute team is made up of attorneys from our litigation, real estate and estate planning departments. Depending on the timing, we can address the negotiation of the lease or right-of-way agreement, review and point out issues in an already executed agreement and ensure that you do not sign a problematic document. Even if you have already signed a contract, having a Rosenn Jenkins & Greenwald, LLP attorney review and explain the document can prepare you for future issues and create proper expectations for upcoming events.
If the oil and gas company has breached or failed to perform under the terms of your lease, we are prepared to actively litigate and pursue all avenues to recover compensation for our clients. This might include obtaining damages for damaged property and other harms, such as:
- Cleanup costs
- State or federal fines
- Unpaid royalties
- Water loss
- Unpaid bonuses
- Failure to reclaim property
- Pollution charges
- Conflicts in land surveys
- Failure to produce
Throughout any representation, we advocate for you and your rights, fighting to get you the compensation you deserve and the benefits you need.