VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
I’m Jim Mullhall with the law firm of Steptoe & Johnson in Bridgeport, WV. Marcellus shale is a large shale formation of natural gas that’s found thousands of feet below the earth’s surface. It’s found in the western portion of New York and extends through the central and western portions of Pennsylvania and through almost all of West Virginia. As a result of new drilling techniques, this natural gas formation is now accessible to drillers. With this economic boom, there is also resulting possible litigation pitfalls. Litigation may follow the life cycle of the industry. For example, there may be claims related to property damage, surface rights issues and mineral rights issues. In addition to these difficulties, this region provides unique legal challenges that outside developers and drillers may not be familiar with.
When the industry matures, different types of litigation may be seen. For example, there could be employment claims, deliberate intent claims or toxic tort litigation that could include alleged exposure to fracking fluid mixtures, methane contamination, water pollution or stream contamination.
Steptoe & Johnson is a regional law firm whose footprint covers the Marcellus shale. If you’d like any further information, please contact me or visit the Steptoe & Johnson website at steptoe-johnson.com.