Craig Mayer, General Counsel of Pennsylvania General Energy testified before the State Environmental Resources and Energy Committee on March 19th, 2013 regarding title wash as it relates to oil and gas mineral estates and mineral rights in Pennsylvania. His comments were in opposition to SB258.  In them, he states, “SB 258 alters basic property law in Pennsylvania and would destabilize subsurface land titles.” Mayer put together a database of 124 quiet title cases from 2008 to 2012 in 7 counties where Hoyt Royalty has sizeable mineral interests: Bradford, Tioga, Susquehanna, Sullivan, Lycoming, Clinton, and Wyoming.  Mayer, who also relies on statements by Attorney Jay Wilkinson, finds a large potion of the title wash cases to be at some level defective and he finds that they add a large amount of uncertainly to an operator relying on them. This is a well thought-through analysis of the title wash situation in Pennsylvania and a very interesting read.

See the full testimony here:  http://wallaby.telicon.com/pa/library/2013/20130319TZ.PDF