Chesapeake Moves to Arbitrate Dispute Over Validity of W.Va. Lease

WHEELING, W.Va. — Chesapeake Appalachia LLC and a co-defendant have moved to compel arbitration of a dispute in which plaintiff landowners say an oil and gas lease was invalid since its inception because there was no meeting of the minds as to its effective date. Ennis, et ux. v. Chesapeake Appalachia LLC, et al., No. 5:12-cv-105 (N.D. W.Va.).

Chesapeake said in a motion to compel filed July 19 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia that the lease at issue was signed by the parties in 2006 and includes a clause requiring arbitration of “any …