Skip to Main Content
Services Talent Knowledge
Site Search
Menu

Blog Post

January 6, 2014

Court Rejects Landowners' Attempts to Deny EQT Access to Conduct Seismic Testing

We previously reported that back on July 22, 2013, EQT Production Company (EQT) sued dozens of its Pennsylvania lessors residing in Allegheny County alleging the right to pool leases under recent amendments to the Oil and Gas Lease Act of 1979 (Senate Bill 259) which explicitly allows operators to pool contiguous leases using horizontal drilling unless prohibited by a lease.   The lawsuit also alleged that the lessors had improperly impeded the company from accessing their property to perform seismic testing and, just last week, a Pennsylvania state court agreed.

Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Judge Christine Ward ordered that, as soon as EQT pays a $25,000 bond, the lessors are enjoined from interfering with EQT’s reasonable ingress, egress and access to and use of the 16 properties subject to the litigation for purposes of performing seismic testing.

The judge’s order was issued without a memorandum decision but one is expected to follow.  The case is EQT Production Company v. Opatkiewicz, et al (Case No. GD-13-013489).

Featured Media

Alerts

Attention Providers! OMIG Audit Update: New Settlement Flexibility at Lower Confidence Payment Restored and DME Protocol Released

Alerts

NYS Trial Court Holds: Animals Are Family Too

Alerts

Website Accessibility Lawsuits: Several "Tester" Plaintiffs—Victor Lopez, Myrna Driffin, Damon Jones, Tazinique Echols, and Ashley Bahena—Targeting Businesses in Recent Flurry of Lawsuits

Alerts

Website Accessibility Lawsuits: Several "Tester" Plaintiffs—Brian Flores Gerardo, Jonathan Drummond, Makeda Evans, Andre Campbell, and Zephyrin Victor—Targeting Businesses in Recent Flurry of Lawsuits

Alerts

New York State Executive Order Expands Pharmacist Authority to Administer COVID-19 Vaccines Without Prescription

Alerts

Federal Judge Halts DOE's Crackdown on Diversity Programs