Horizontal Bore Under a Railroad?

For the well pad near me, two wells send their horizontal bores toward a railroad right-of-way, and stop just short of the railroad.  I was told by one landman that this is normal, that they rarely or never will go under the railroad.  His explanation was that it was too difficult to search the land rights involved.  But I've done a little title searching; it would be easy to find the original deed or easement to the railroad, then it seems that the drilling company could just ask the railroad to warrant that they have not sold or assigned  their right-of-way rights, and the driller could buy or lease the O&G rights for the piece under the railroad.  If it's only an easement owned by the railroad, it seems that the railroad would not be involved at all.

Can anyone verify this?  Do drillers not bore under railroads, and if so, why?

I don't have a personal stake in this, I'm just wondering.

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Permalink Reply by gary smith on October 31, 2012 at 10:46am

railroads are a nightmare to work with. having crossed under them on sewer,water and gasline projects, it takes forever to get a right-of-way and anything else they can think of they make diffucult. goes back to their beginnings. they were a powerhouse in this country.

Permalink Reply by Ragnars Repo on October 31, 2012 at 11:09am
The pipline is the enemy of the rail car.
Permalink Reply by gary smith on October 31, 2012 at 11:26am

bingo.

Permalink Reply by Ragnars Repo on November 1, 2012 at 4:23am
Mabye not directly.
Permalink Reply by Jed Clampett on November 2, 2012 at 8:06am

Yes, they do and quite often.  Sometimes it may take time to get the proper agreements but it does happen quite often.

Permalink Reply by Shon Lenzo on November 2, 2012 at 11:25pm
I have gotten right of way for gas pipeline to go under the CSX railroad tracks.
It costs $5000, more or less...
It took six months, but I got it through.
You can get that through, it just takes time and is annoying to do.
The railroads aren't making as much as they once did.
Now they see the tracks as their line, and if you want to cross that line,
You will have to pay.
Imagine how much they must make from these kind of things.
It is one of the ways they stay in business nowadays....

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