Practice Areas

Energy Law

The Firm’s energy practice is devoted to the representation of the coal industry as well as individual and corporate land owners negatively affected by the extensive oil and gas exploration occurring in West Virginia. Mr. Preservati has been recognized as an international expert on the safety and operational impacts oil and gas operations have on coal mining. The Firm has worked extensively with the West Virginia Coal Association to ensure that proposed oil and gas legislation adequately protects the State’s coal owners and operators.

Our attorneys are members of the West Virginia Coal Association, Friends of Coal, and the Energy and Mineral Law Foundation. They have previously served as Chairs of the American Bar Association’s YLD Public Utilities, Transportation & Telecommunications Committee and its Environment, Energy & Resources Law Committee. Our attorneys have been called upon to draft energy legislation, provide advice and counsel on state and federal energy policy, and to speak at numerous state, national, and international energy symposiums. We provide consultation and legal services related to the following areas:

• Oil & Gas permit applications affecting coal and surface owners
• Surface and mineral damage caused by oil and gas operations
• Drafting coal purchase, trucking, and logging agreements
• Blasting and mining waivers and the relocation/plugging of oil and gas facilities
• MSHA regulations, violations and investigations
• Negotiating insurance policies and litigating personal injury/property damage claims
• Lobbying on behalf of coal owners, operators, and surface owners
• Vertical and horizontal coalbed methane wells
• Mine and pipeline safety
• Administrative and civil litigation of disputes regarding natural resources

• Alpha Land & Reserves, LLC
• Black Wolf Mining Company, Inc
• BLUE EAGLE LAND, LLC
• Bluestone Coal
• COALQUEST DEVELOPMENT, LLC
• Concept Mining, Inc.
• Consolidation Coal Company
• Horse Creek Land and Mining Company
• Imperial Resources, LLC
• McDowell-Pocahontas Coal Company, Inc.
• Mid-Vol Coal Sales, Inc.
• National Council of Coal Lessors
• Penn Virginia Operating Company, LLC
• Phoenix Enterprises, Inc.
• Pocahontas Land Corporation
• Riverside Energy Company, LLC
• West Virginia Coal Association
• Westwood Mining Company, Inc.
• Wolf Run Mining Company
• WPP LLC.