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WV HB5676

Bill

Official Source

Status

Introduced

2/17/2026

Primary Sponsor

Laura Kimble

Click for details

Origin

House of Delegates

2026 Regular Session

AI Summary

  • Amends West Virginia Code §22C-9-7a regarding horizontal well drilling unit formation and forced pooling of oil and gas interests
  • Adds new provision stating that an offer by an owner of a royalty or other interest in oil or gas within an existing proration unit to share on the same yardstick basis as other owners in that unit shall be considered a "fair and reasonable offer"
  • Requires applicants for horizontal well units to have obtained consent from royalty owners of 75% or more of net acreage and 55% or more of operator interest acreage before filing unitization applications
  • Mandates good-faith offers and negotiations with all known and locatable royalty owners and operators who have not previously consented to pooling or unitization
  • Limits horizontal well units to 640 acres maximum, with no more than 128 net acres controlled by non-consenting royalty owners

Legislative Description

Relating to Forced Pooling and negotiating with unleased owners.

Energy

Last Action

To House Energy and Public Works

2/17/2026

Committee Referrals

Energy and Public Works2/17/2026

Full Bill Text

No bill text available