Addressing oil and gas issues in title

In Ohio, new drilling, along with the leases and reservations on the land from over 200 years of mineral excavation (thanks to coal production), have led to title issues that will need to be addressed in any state where oil, natural gas or other minerals are discovered and subsurface rights severed from the surface ownership. During a seminar put on by the Ohio Land Title Association, Samuel Shellhaas, underwriting counsel at First American Title Insurance Co., provided attendees with tips for navigating these issues.