Pending agreement by all parties involved, the Benedum Airport Authority signed off on a lease that would allow an energy come to remove Marcellus shale from underneath North Central West Virginia Airport property. The lease was given tentative approval based on the energy firm agreeing to terms, including the royalty fee.

 

Airport Counsel Dean Ramsey explained the terms of the five-year lease to the members. The lease would allow Arsenal Resources, which was formerly Mountaineer Keystone, to have access to 188.576 acres to removes the gas.

 

“This is for Marcellus shale only,” said Ramsey, who indicated other resources such as Utica Shale was off limits.

 

The company would have to pay the airport $282,864 up front for the right to go down to 6,000 feet and horizontally drill onto the airport property in question. Ramsey said the work pad would not be located in airport property.

 

NCWV Airport Director Rick Rock said worked to also include a 15 percent royalty fee at the well head.

 

“We’re trying to get the most out of our assets and that’s money we could utilize to help maintain and improve infrastructure to our airport. That’s money that wasn’t there before so (if this works out) it’s kind of found money,” said Rock. “It could turn out to be nice for the airport.”

 

Ramsey said Arsenal Resources recently made a previous pitch in the area. He said they were the company that approached the City of Bridgeport about removing gas from underneath the Bridgeport Cemetery. The request was met by ire by many community members.

 

The Council took the lease request up in executive session at their most recent meeting. There was no interest in acting on the matter and it was never added to the agenda to be voted for, which means it’s officially not happening.

 

There was no word on when the NCWV Airport anticipated a response to see if the proposal approved Wednesday was acceptable. There was also no timetable announced on when drilling would start if approved.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Airport Attorney Dean Ramsey explaining the lease, while bottom photo shows NCWV Airport Director Rick Rock addressing the Authority Wednesday.