Derrick,
I would get a real good attorney to check it out before I touched it. Also, is the company that put it in still around? Sometimes, you can get them to give you ( in writing) a release to remove the lines. You may have to do some research to make sure who even owns the line now, pipeline companies change names a lot.
Virginia, the company that put it in was Colorado gas. Then Scissortail energy who was acquired by Copano energy.Now the company with the newest acquisition is Kinder-Morgan.You are right these companies do change names a lot.I am going to have to put some deep thought into all of this information others have contributed. I wonder if I could charge a fee for it sitting idle in the ground?.There has not been any gas flowing through it for 7 years.The old lease has no non-use language in it.They have not paid any real estate taxes since its inception.As of now there is no easement agreement or lease with Kinder-Morgan. Hopefully.I can come to some resolution. Derrick Dean
Did your easement agreement have language releasing the line? I would write Kinder-Morgan and ask for them to release any claim they may have, then you can have it removed. Some companies have so much borrowed against their pipelines that they aren't willing to give them up as the banks really own them. I had a pipeline that was put on my farm in 193?, They had changed ownership so often, they didn't even know they owned it. The came out, dug it up and gave me the pipe. Good companies will do that.
Thanks Virginia. Maybe I can help you in the future. Derrick
Derrick,
We are all here to help each other. Good luck.
Virginia