This week’s most important shale gas stories:

( 1 ) Fort Worth Suing Chesapeake Energy

Several stories have broken lately regarding the oil and gas industry’s treatment of royalty payments. One story focused on impact fees, the other was published by ProPublica. ProPublica’s article focused greatly on Chesapeake Energy and the company’s practices.

Now Chesapeake is in hot water again. According to CBS News, Fort Worth, Texas, is suing the energy company. The claim is Chesapeake Energy shorted the city millions of dollars in royalties.

Read it:

“The lawsuit says the city found Chesapeake had been deducting money from royalty checks for items including production, trucking and marketing costs. The suit says Chesapeake was also selling gas to Chesapeake Energy Marketing, an affiliate company, and deducting related third party costs from the transactions.”

Chesapeake declined to comment on the suit.

 » Via: CBS News › Fort Worth Sues Chesapeake Energy Over Natural Gas Royalties

( 2 ) Consol Selling Five Coal Mines for $3.5  Billion

Consol Energy Inc. is selling five Appalachian coal mines to Murray Energy Corp., according to the Wall Street Journal. It’s a step that further focuses Consol on natural gas development.

The Shale Gas Reporter will have more on this story as it develops.

» Via: The Wall Street Journal » Consol to Sell Five Coal Mines to Murray Energy for $3.5 Billion

( 3 ) Have You Had Explosives on your Property?

A Bridgeport, Ohio, woman discovered that a Texas company placed explosive charges on her farm without her permission, according to the Times Leader. The explosives were to aid in the development of a Utica Shale map.

The company responsible for the explosives, Global Geophysical Services, had the explosives removed, but the woman is trying to take legal action.

Taking action isn’t as easy at it seems.

Read it: 

“Putorek said she contacted the Belmont County Sheriff’s Department, the Ohio attorney general’s office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and local fire department officials to see what could be done when she found the charges Aug. 7.”

 » Via: Times Leader › Woman battling explosive problem

( 4 ) Chevron Sellings Acres to Chesapeake

According to the Weirton Daily Times, Chevron, one of the world’s largest energy producers, sold 1,500 Ohio County acres to Chesapeake Energy.

Read it:

“The parcels range in area from as little as 1 acre to as much as 258 acres, with most of the acreage found in the northern portion of the county.

Chevron took over most of these leases from AB Resources, NPAR and TriEnergy Holdings in early 2011, records indicate.”

» Via: Weirton Daily Times › Chevron sells 1,500 acres to Chesapeake