Judge rules for landowners in seismic testing dispute

Judge rules for landowners in seismic testing dispute

lisbon

A Columbiana County judge ruled in favor of four landowners today in their dispute with a company hired to conduct seismic testing on land with oil and gas leases owned by Chesapeake Exploration LLC.

Common Pleas Judge C. Ashley Pike ruled against a preliminary injunction that would force landowners to allow TSG-NOPEC Geophysical Co. onto their property to conduct the testing.

The ruling was based on the fact that Chesapeake, the company that owns the mineral rights leases for the property, was not a party, that any actual damages based on the terms of the contract between TSG and Chesapeake were not presented as evidence, and that if a temporary injunction were granted the landowners could potentially be harmed.