Three Oil and Gas Bills Pass Pennsylvania Senate Panel
A Pennsylvania senate committee recently unanimously approved two bills regarding oil and gas royalty calculations. StateImpact Pennsylvania reported that Senate Bills 147 and 148 were approved by the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee on Wednesday, January 21, 2015. If passed into law, SB 147 would require operators to disclose more information on royalty checks, including calculations and joint ventures between companies. The bill would also permit landowners to inspect company records, even if that right is not set forth in an oil and gas lease. SB 148 would prohibit operators from retaliating against landowners who question the calculation of their royalty payments. The bills are two of several that have been introduced in the state house and senate in the last year.
A third bill, Senate Bill 279, also passed the senate committee with unanimous approval. This bill would create the Pennsylvania Grade Crude Development Advisory Council, which would advise and assist the state Department of Environmental Protection with the differing regulations for conventional oil and gas operations and unconventional oil and gas operations. All three bills will move forward for consideration by the full senate.