H. B. 2998

          (By Delegates Eldridge, Tomblin, Campbell, Young, Lynch, Hartman, Longstreth
and Barill)

          [Introduced March 20, 2013; referred to the
Committee on Energy, Industry and Labor, Economic Development and Small Business then the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §36-3-8a, relating to requiring natural gas lessors to provide surface owners on whose properties natural gas producing wells are drilled the ability to purchase gas from those wells.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
     That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §36-3-8a, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 3. FORM AND EFFECT OF DEEDS AND CONTRACTS.
§36-3-8a. Natural gas leases; surface owner may purchase gas.
_____A natural gas lessor who drills a natural gas producing well shall permit the owner of the surface on whose property the well is drilled to purchase gas from that well. The lessor shall also provide the surface owner access to the well.


     NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require natural gas lessors to provide surface owners on whose properties gas producing wells are drilled the ability to purchase gas from the wells.


     This section is new; therefore, it has been completely underscored.