Hydraulic fracturing is apparently confusing for some judges, while pipelines are cause for civil war in Canada. DEP data, though, is cause to celebrate.

It has been nearly two weeks since Judge Musmanno, writing for the Pennsylvania Superior Court, ruled in the case of Briggs v. Southwestern Energy Company that the Pennsylvania “Rule of Capture” does not apply to hydraulic fracturing situations, and confusion still reigns.

For the layman, the law in Pennsylvania regarding oil and gas production has been known as the “Rule of Capture.” It goes back to the late 1800’s. This means that whomever has the right to drill for the oil and gas into a pool can do so and “capture” the gas without having to ascertain from where the oil or gas actually originated, or therefore to pay the landowner from where the gas originated any royalty fee. This is because of the “fugitive nature” of oil and gas which tends to migrate into a pool.

Read more:

http://naturalgasnow.org/confusion-hydraulic-fracturing-civil-wars-pipelines/