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Board authorizes multiple disbursements and direct payments for Pocahontas Gas escrow accounts
Summary
The Virginia Gas and Oil Board approved two Pocahontas Gas (CNX) petitions to disburse escrowed funds and authorize direct payments to certain royalty recipients, while leaving other payees in escrow pending documentation; staff reconciliation showed minor discrepancies the operator is working to resolve.
The Virginia Gas and Oil Board on Dec. 16 approved two petitions from Pocahontas Gas LLC (CNX Gas Company subsidiary) authorizing disbursement from escrow accounts and direct payment to specified royalty recipients.
CNX land‑records analyst Kelly Berry described both petitions. For Unit W47 (docket BGOB98-1117-0699-O5) Berry told the board the unit is inactive, prior frac wells had been plugged and ownership is now governed by a sealed gob unit; split agreements and certified‑mail notice were included. The petition asked the board to dismiss several owners from the respondent list who could not be located or were deceased; the board approved docket changes and a payment schedule so identified prior owners on Table 1 would be paid before percentage distributions in Table 2 were calculated.
On a second petition (docket BGOB99-1214-0766-04, Unit X46), Berry said CNX had provided split agreements and mailing certifications and proposed percentages to calculate direct checks from the escrow agent. She noted small reconciliation discrepancies in Exhibit J: "The highlighted yellow indicates a discrepancy between our payments into the escrow account and what was shown on the escrow agent reporting," she testified. CNX reported the differences were minor (examples: First Bank and Trust balance differences of $335.09 on one reconciliation and $47.37 on another) and provided evidence of prior disbursements and split agreements.
Board members asked whether payments to heirs would proceed without recorded documentation; Berry responded that recorded documentation of heirs is required and such payees remain pending. The board approved both petitions on motions and roll‑call votes.
Why it matters: The orders authorize the escrow agent to disburse specified checks and may shift some payees from escrow to direct payment; they also formalize the board's reconciliation method where minor reporting discrepancies exist.
Next steps: CNX will revise exhibits as directed to remove dismissed respondents and the escrow agent will follow the board's payment sequencing as shown in the approved exhibits.
