Recent years have brought on a surge of oil and gas activity throughout the Appalachian Basin because of technology developments in horizontal drilling and completion techniques.   These remarkable advancements have spurred an economic resurgence for many communities and produced significant financial benefits for thousands of landowners throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.  Oil and gas companies have converged on this region offering large bonus payments and royalty percentages to landowners for the right to explore for and develop the hydrocarbons deep beneath the earth’s surface.

The Marcellus was the first shale to experience this frenzy in the Appalachian Basin and now the Utica Shale is a focus as well.  Elsewhere throughout the United States, similar shales including the Barnett, Haynesville, Eagleford and Baaken are being developed with promising results.   These geological resources are reshaping our nation’s energy independence and redistributing wealth with unprecedented magnitude.