Pa. Supreme Court decides ‘rule of capture’ applies to fracked wells
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania recently determined oil and natural gas coming from hydraulically fractured shale wells are protected by the common “rule of capture,” according to S&P Global Platts. However, it left open the possibility that neighbors to a fracked well could claim trespassing if fissures from the fracking extended onto their land.
The ruling relieved Pennsylvania’s shale gas drillers because it means oil and gas that flows into a well are the property of the well owner, regardless of how it got there.
Had the court ruled the other way, determining fracked wells illegally pull in a neighbor’s gas, drillers could have faced a lot of reproductions in regards to land and lease rights.
Learn more: S&P Global Platts > ‘Rule of capture’ applies to fracked wells: Pennsylvania Supreme Court
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.