EARTHWORKS

Support Citizens Affected by Drilling

Landowners living in an area of current or potential oil and gas development may be approached by a representative of an oil and gas company that is wanting to drill a well on their land.

Landowners are too often at a serious disadvantage because they are:

Earthworks’ Oil and Gas Accountability Project  (OGAP) has produced information designed to help landowner better understand the oil and gas industry, and better understand their rights.

Oil and Gas at Your Door: a Landowner's Guide to Oil and Gas Development educates citizens about the oil and gas development process, legal issues, oil and gas regulations and industry practices. (NOTE: an updated version will be available in 2014)

Workshops

Earthworks's Oil & Gas Accountability Project provides support to communities, landowners and local governments by presenting workshops on:

Landowners, community groups and local governments may contact Earthworks if you are interested in setting up a workshop in your community

• not the owner of the minerals under their land (due to the split estate issue),
• unfamiliar with the industry, and/or
• unaware of their legal rights.
  • the oil and gas development process;
  • leasing;
  • surface owner rights;
  • oil and gas regulation; and
  • alternative practices that can be used to minimize the impacts of oil and gas development.

---

For more information:

• Earthworks: Split Estate Information
• Earthworks: Surface Owner Protection Legislation
• Earthworks: Oil and Gas Leasing
• Earthworks: Oil and Gas at Your Door: a Landowner's Guide to Oil and Gas Development. At the link is contact info to receive a physical copy, should you prefer to to simply download one.

Other tools for landowners

• ShaleTest.org. ShaleTest that will collect environmental data, and provide environmental testing to lower income families and neighborhoods that are affected by natural gas exploration.
• The Landman Report Card. Landmen are often a property-owner's first encounter with the oil and gas industry. And many of them have well-deserved, nasty reputations. This site gives you a chance to learn more about who you're dealing with -- before signing anything.