Shale

COLUMBUS, Ohio — In the expansive fields of Ohio, where shale reservoirs hold lucrative natural gas deposits, landowners find themselves facing a pressing dilemma. Ohio’s unique legal framework empowers gas drilling companies to compel property owners to enter into lease agreements, even when they are reluctant or outright opposed. This legal mechanism, known as “unitization,” is increasingly under scrutiny for its impact on individual property rights. “Unitization” laws were designed to streamline the extraction process and minimize the environmental footprint by allowing a single operator to extract resources across a unified area, even if it … Read more