Lawyers advise Trumbull Co. leaseholders about oil, gas production issues

HOWLAND _ Now that leases have been signed with BP in Trumbull County the question is: what comes next?

A full room of leaseholders, who signed deals with BP, listened to attorneys from the Youngstown law firm of Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell Ltd. as they explained issues that will come up over the next few months such as seismic testing, drilling, pipeline development and other parts of the oil-and-gas production process get under way.

The session was today at the Magnuson Grand Hotel and Conference Center, the former Avalon Inn.

The key is to read each new item carefully and to make sure they do not impact the terms of the original lease, said Alan D. Wenger, the attorney who discussed general issues. Wenger helped write the leases for the Associated Landowners of the Ohio Valley.

Trumbull County is currently about a year behind Columbiana County and other areas in southern Ohio in the oil-and-gas play. The issues that have occurred in those areas will eventually come to Trumbull, he said.

For the complete story, read Wednesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com