Gas Leases

As the search for natural gas intensifies in the Endless Mountains, the Wyoming County Recorder of Deeds office has also seen an avalanche of paperwork.

The processing of more than 1,000 leases has had a dramatic effect on the office, generating an increase in filing fees, as well as a need for additional staff.

“We’re getting hammered with stuff here,” Recorder of Deeds Dennis Montross said.

Since Jan. 1, 2006, Chesapeake Energy has recorded 478 leases and Magnum Land Services, 183. United Petroleum Co. has 115.

Anadarko, Cabot Oil & Gas Corp., New Penn, Chief, North Coast, Elexco, M&K Resources, Michael Keeton and Epsilon each have less than 100 leases recorded.

Filing fees range from $18.50 to $33.50, with an additional $2 charged for each page beyond four pages. Montross said he was recently asked how much it would cost to file 800 assignments.

He noted that most of the filing fee goes to the county.

Recently, the county hired a part-time employee who is paid around $8 an hour for the recorder of deeds office.

Noting that leases are still to be recorded and signed, Montross said the activity at his office will likely increase.

Montross said some members of the Wyoming County Landowners Gas Group, which comprises more than 45,000 acres, have not recorded a natural gas lease.

The group has a membership of 1,200 people.

The county has 254,208 acres of land and all of the land could be placed into a natural gas lease unless there is a deed restriction, county Chief Assessor Eric Brown said.

Brown and Montross could not say how many total acres have been leased.

However, the county is creating a database that details the number of leased acres.

According to Bill Wilson of Mount Pocono, members of the landowners group from Noxen, Forkston and Monroe townships have recently signed with Citrus Energy.

He added that a signing session may be scheduled for others from the landowners group sometime in September at Shadowbrook Inn & Resort in Tunkhannock Township.

Residents who live along the border of Wyoming, Lackawanna and Luzerne counties have also been contacted.

A title search for those properties is now being conducted, Wilson said.

“They (Citrus Energy) have also signed people down in Columbia County,” Wilson said. “That’s where they are coming, from the south.”

He noted some companies have pulled out of the area but returned, such as Elexco.

Meanwhile, work has begun to lay pipeline.

“It does no good to drill wells if you don’t have the infrastructure,” Wilson said.