Unfortunately for drilling companies seeking to safely and efficiently extract natural gas through hydraulic fracturing, they must do so within a contentious and litigious environment. Because drillers are a key player in the extraction process, they will no doubt be implicated (rightly or wrongly) in any litigation stemming from fracking.

In part one of a two-part series written for National Driller, Thomas F. Segalla, Andrew J. Scholz, and Matthew D. Cabral of Goldberg Segalla’s Hydrofracking Practice Group outline the real or perceived risks drillers face with fracking, examine the current regulatory environment, and analyze the current status of the litigation being advanced across the country, including the types of claims being made against drillers and the most current, best defenses being interposed in those suits. Part two, to be published in the March 2013 issue, will analyze risk management implications for drillers, including insurance coverage issues and risk-shifting contractual provisions that can help reduce the risk of those future claims.

Read the article here:

• “Hydraulic Fracturing Holds Litigation Risks,” National Driller, January 2013