Surface Rights VS Gas Rights
Earlier this year, the gas company marked four areas on my hunting lease with ribbons and stakes (i.e. the sites of intended gas wells). During the summer, they put in one of the wells. Because of the mountainous terrain, this is a major operation. They have to constuct roads to even get to the site.
There was initially some concern that they were going to put in some of the wells around hunting season. The original start date for the road building to the other three wells was end of Octobor. Fortunately for us, the project was delayed until after the first of the year.
This however got me thinking. My question is this - As lease holders, do we have any say on when they can be on the property? In other words, we pay alot of money for this lease only to use it primarily 2 1/2 months out of the year. Don't we have as much right to the land as they do? I'm not saying they can't put in their wells. I am just saying I don't want them in there October through December. Having them in there during this time would have been a major inconvenience. Now granted, we are not the land owners, but I think the land owners would back us up on this.
So what do you guys think. Do we have any say in this? Do we have any legal rights in this matter?