Recent bans of hydrofracking by New York municipalities may have chilled excitement about oil, gas and mineral development in the petroleum rich Marcellus Shale region of Upstate and Central New York, but rules and laws tend to change over time, reflecting changing values and economic demands.
The hydrofracking bans have, predictably, given rise to legal actions, as oil and gas companies, landowners, and investors attempt to protect and preserve the rights they believe were conveyed to them by various deeds and/or oil and gas leases. At Bousquet Holstein, our Real Estate and Litigation practice groups are prepared to assist our clients, working with them to sort through the legal and regulatory complexities associated with such oil and gas leases.
Also, New York State continues to permit non-HVHF oil and gas wells, and many petroleum-producing wells remain operational throughout Central and Western New York and in the Southern Tier. Existing petroleum-producing activity also carries with it the need for legal counsel in the areas of environmental compliance, SEQRA, transportation law, and the contractual relationships among energy producers and land owners, and within their spin-off support industries.
Our Real Estate attorneys are skilled at addressing the real property issues that arise in the context of oil and gas production and transportation and stand ready to work with clients on these matters.