Have you been receiving letters and phone calls from oil and gas leasing companies? Should you lease? Been wondering with the rest of us what is a fair oil and gas lease contract for your property?

High energy prices have made formally expensive oil and gas drilling look more appealing. Leasing landsmen have been out in force. If you haven't been contacted, you soon will. What do you do?

Recent state and national headlines have discussed the existence of the Marcellus Shale layer that is under two-thirds of Pennsylvania and holds a giant supply of natural gas. It is located deep underground, between 8,000 and 10,000 feet deep. At about $1 million per well, it is also an expensive venture.

New drilling techniques, such as horizontal drilling, have increased the profitability and efficiency of these wells. Drilling is progressing at a rapid pace in northeast Pennsylvania, with other drilling activity taking place in southwest Pennsylvania.

Prior to drilling though, land must be leased from property owners by the gas companies. This is a time-consuming task often times given over to leasing landsmen. Their job is to contact landowners to negotiate the rights to the oil and gas that might lay deep below the surface of their property.

Penn State Cooperative Extension in Beaver County is holding an oil and gas leasing seminar from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday at the "Lodge" in the Student Union Building on the Penn State Beaver Campus in Monaca. You'll hear what the Marcellus Shale is, the personal experiences of people who have leased, and an experienced oil and gas leasing attorney will give you the ins and outs of leasing contracts.

This program is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice. Consult a qualified attorney before signing any legal document.

Registration and additional information can be obtained by contacting Beaver County Cooperative Extension at 724-774-3003 or by visiting http://beaver.extension.psu.edu. There is a $15 per person fee to defray expenses.

This material is submitted by Donna Zang, Extension director, and the staff of the Penn State Extension office at the Sunnyview Home complex.