Report says Washington, Greene near top in gas royalties

September 26, 2019

Rick Shrum
Observer-Reporter

Nearly $10 billion in natural gas royalties has been paid to private landowners in Pennsylvania’s eight top producing counties, according to a report released this week.

Independent Fiscal Office, a state-government office based in Harrisburg, said that money has been disbursed over a nine-year period – from 2010 through 2018. That includes an estimated record $1.6 billion in 2018.

Washington and Greene counties are among the royalties leaders from 2010 through 2017, according to IFO. The office did not provide a county-by-county breakdown of royalties in 2018.

Landowners in Washington County landed nearly $2 billion during the eight-year period through 2017 – specifically $1,960,000,000. That is about 20% of the outlay for the top eight counties. Royalties holders in Greene were paid $757 million during this time frame, according to IFO.