New issue: geothermal ownership

A new paper by Prof. Gabriel Eckstein of Texas A&M University School of Law discusses the “complex legal status of geothermal heat as a non-tangible, incorporeal natural resource.” Usually landowners hold rights to oil, gas, and ground water beneath their property, but Eckstein argues that the law is unsettled as to thermal energy.

Professor Eckstein states that “Without clear rules of ownership, the legal foundation for investing in geothermal remains shaky.”

For those who watch the Texas Legislature, the Texas House debated a similar ownership issue related to wind energy this week.

Think Geothermal | New legal study asks: Who Owns Geothermal Heat?