Landowners Beware of Post-Production Expenses Deducted from Your Royalty Checks
An informative article with a lot of background on the issue of gas royalty payments and the practice of deducting post-production expenses from those payments is published in today’s The State Journal. The article covers in detail the case of Tawney v. Columbia Natural Resources that was settled by the West Virginia Supreme Court in 2006. That decision said, in essence:
[G]as producers cannot deduct “post-production” expenses — those incurred between the wellhead and market, such as dehydration, compression and transportation — from royalty payments unless explicitly spelled out in the lease.*
West Virginia is in the minority of states that have ruled against post-production expenses. Other states disallowing post-production expenses (unless specifically spelled out in the lease) include Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma.
However, because gas “at the wellhead” is not in “marketable condition,” a number of other states do allow deduction of post-production expenses from royalty payments in cases where it’s not specifically enumerated in the lease. Those states include Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, California, Montana, New Mexico and some others.
Kentucky and Pennsylvania have not yet ruled on the matter, although the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is due to rule soon in Kilmer v. Elexco Land Services Inc.
The lesson for landowners: Make sure the language in your lease is spelled out in detail about what kinds of post-production expenses can and cannot be deducted from your royalty checks. And if you have a contract that is not specific, get legal advice and be sure you’re receiving the money you’re owed.
*The State Journal (Mar 11) – State Courts Continue to Evaluate Gas Royalties