Our capacity to deliver energy reliably, expand our footprint and responsibly pursue growth is supported by strong, long-term partnerships with over 100,000 landowners who grant us the privilege of securing permanent easements on private land. We are committed to cultivating sustainable and mutually beneficial relationships with landowners.
We implement a consistent approach to engaging with affected landowners for proposed pipeline infrastructure projects. Early engagement, both proactive and in compliance with regulatory requirements, provides time to explain the project, secure land survey permissions and facilitate a formal negotiation process. We invite landowners to ask questions, express concerns and share their preferences to help develop mutually beneficial solutions.
Encroachments
Common Encroachments
Permitted, with exception
Fencing
Landscaping
Roads, streets and driveways
Not permitted
Drainage and septic
Aboveground structures
Pools and ponds
Call Before You Dig
Call 811 before beginning and excavation project, no matter how big or small the project is.
Most of our pipelines are buried for safety reasons. To identify them, look for the line markers like those shown below. We install markers at roads, rail and river crossings and other places along the right of way. Markers show the line’s approximate location and they also provide emergency contact information.
Markers help identify the general vicinity of pipelines; however, precise details such as pipeline depth, number and exact location must be obtained by calling your state One-Call, 811. Keep in mind that pipelines may not follow a straight path between markers.
Look for these signs:
Painted metal or plastic posts
Signs located near roads, railroads and along pipeline right-of-ways
Pipeline casing vent
Marker for pipeline patrol airplane
In addition to looking for markers, the public can search for pipelines in their community by referencing the National Pipeline Mapping System. Enter your state and county and NPMS will provide a list of pipelines, their location, general commodities transported and operator contact information.
Please note: this site does not currently map gas gathering or distribution pipelines.
The Landowner FAQs is for information purposes only and is intended to address commonly asked questions but doesn’t address all potential landowner questions and concerns. A Williams representative will contact landowners that may be impacted by a pipeline project about the need for acquisition of easement rights and the formalization of such acquisition in a definitive easement agreement. These Landowner FAQs do not create a binding or enforceable contract and may not be relied upon by a party as the basis for a contract.
Construction
Easement: The interests in land owned by a person other than the person that has title to the fee simple interest in the land, consisting of the right to use or control the land or an area above or below it, for a specific limited purpose (such as the right to install, maintain and operate a pipeline or related facilities).
Right-of-way: Is a person’s legal right, established by usage or by contract, to pass through grounds or property owned by another. This right is incidental to or a part of the easement interests that will be conveyed to Williams and may be referred to as the access or road easement, easement area or right-of-way.
The amount of land required for a pipeline easement will vary depending on various factors of the project and the land. Some of these factors may include size of pipeline or related facility, route, topography, soil conditions and regulatory requirements. Williams’ Land Representative will discuss the land requirements with the landowner during the easement agreement negotiations and the easement area along the pipeline and related facilities will be described in the easement agreement. Any temporary workspace reverts back to the landowner upon completion of the pipeline or related facility construction and easement area restoration.
Before starting any work, the law requires you to call your local ‘One-Call’ center to tell them when and where you plan to dig by dialing 811.
The One Call center will notify the appropriate local company personnel who are responsible for locating the facilities within their area. No surface-disturbing activities should take place on the easement area prior to company personnel locating the facilities.
The easement agreement applicable to that pipeline should describe the width of an existing easement. A survey of your property may also indicate the easement width, although some surveys may not include that level of detail. If none of this information is available, contact Williams at 1-800-Williams or here.
Encroachment
What is an encroachment?
An encroachment is an infringement of another’s rights or intrusion on another’s property. For the purposes of a pipeline easement, an encroachment typically is an action or the placement of something within an easement area that may adversely affect or interfere with (encroach on) Williams’ rights under the easement agreement. While most uses of the surface of the land will be allowed (including farming activities such as crop production or raising livestock), the placement of trees, buildings, structures, sheds, fences, decks, patios, swimming pools, roads, driveways, utilities, sprinkler systems, power or telephone poles are not allowed on Williams’ easements without Williams’ consent. As is the case with any surface disturbance, please contact your local One Call (811) and Williams (855-245-2300).
Environmental
How do you protect wildlife?
Williams strives to minimize impacts to landowners and the environment. Williams sites pipeline corridors within or adjacent to existing utility corridors, when practical, to minimize environmental disturbances. During the analysis of potential pipeline routes, extra attention is given to identifying sensitive areas of ecological or historic significance. Field scientists, archaeologists and biologists conduct detailed environmental surveys and evaluations of potential study corridors searching for threatened or endangered species, sensitive wildlife and vegetation habitats, wetlands and water bodies and areas of archaeological significance.
General
Williams’ core business is the gathering and transportation of natural gas and natural gas liquids. Contact your Williams Land Representative to discuss products specific to your property.
Compressor stations are the “engines” that power natural gas pipelines. As the name implies, the compressor station compresses the natural gas (increasing its pressure) in order to keep it moving through the pipeline. Pipeline companies install compressor stations at various points along their pipelines, typically one every 40 to 100 miles. The size and the number of compressors varies, based on the diameter of the pipe and the volume of gas to be moved.
An easement agreement does not transfer title of the land to Williams; it merely grants the interests in land that provide for the right to use the land for the specific purposes stated in the easement agreement.
No – generally natural gas pipeline easements have been shown to have no material effect on property values.
Legal
What is the difference between eminent domain and condemnation?
Eminent domain is the power to utilize private property for public use by a government or its agent following the payment of just compensation to the owner of that property. Condemnation is the legal process by which that governmental body, its agent or other authorized entity exercises its right of eminent domain to acquire private property for public uses.
Payment
How is the value of the easement determined?
Easement value is generally determined by the market value of land in the area as determined by independent sources such as local MAI appraisers, real estate brokers and other real estate professionals, considering such factors as length and width of the easement area, existing land use and comparable sales in the area.
Pipeline
Williams may occasionally need to access the pipeline to ensure that its operations remain safe and reliable; therefore, Williams must have unrestricted entry and access to all of its facilities at all times for regular maintenance, inspection, repair or during emergency situations.
Cathodic protection is a low-voltage electrical system that helps prevent pipeline corrosion.
Restoration
Restoration typically takes several growing seasons to fully revegetate. Your designated Williams Operations personnel or Land Representative will work with you to ensure successful revegetation.
Williams is committed to restoring your property as close as reasonably possible to the condition it was in immediately prior to the construction activities, except you may notice pipeline markers and a lack of trees along the easement area.
Contact your designated Williams Operations personnel or Land Representative to resolve any issues with unusual erosion or settling.
Safety
No. Before starting any work, the law requires you to call your local ‘One-Call’ center to tell them when and where you plan to dig by dialing 811.
The One Call center will notify the appropriate local company personnel who are responsible for locating the facilities within their area. No surface-disturbing activities should take place on the easement area prior to company personnel locating the facilities.
Yes. Pipelines are the safest, most reliable and efficient manner of transporting energy products. There are more than 210 pipeline systems totaling over 305,000 miles of interstate and intrastate pipelines across the United States. Statistics gathered by the National Transportation Safety Board, a federal agency, indicate that less than 0.01 percent of all transportation accidents in the United States are related to pipelines.
Pipelines exist almost everywhere throughout the United States (generally buried underground) transporting the energy that you depend on every day to heat your home, generate electricity, cook your food and so much more. Pipelines are a vital and efficient part of the United States’ energy infrastructure.
At Williams, we understand that we have a responsibility to our neighbors and the communities along our pipelines to embrace pipeline safety by implementing stringent safety programs and practices every step of the way.
Leaks from pipelines are unusual, but we want you to know what to do in the unlikely event one occurs. Your senses of sight, hearing and smell are the best ways to recognize a pipeline leak.
If you experience a pipeline emergency situation, go to a safe location and call 911 or your local emergency response telephone number and the pipeline’s emergency phone number. Call collect, if necessary, and give your name, phone number and a description of the leak and its location. Call us immediately if you strike one of our pipelines or see someone working near them. Even minor dents, chips or scrapes are serious and can cause future leaks if the problem is not professionally repaired.
Joint Tenant accounts, Trust accounts and Companies: Please send address changes, in writing, to the following address:
Williams – NorTex Midstream Partners, LLC
Attn: Land Department 2800 Post Oak Blvd Houston, TX 77433
Individual address changes: Complete, print and sign the change of address form found on this website and mail to the address shown below:
Williams – NorTex Midstream Partners, LLC
Attn: Land Department 2800 Post Oak Blvd Houston, TX 77433
Trustee Changes: Provide that portion of the trust document that determines who is successor trustee as well as the duties and powers of the trustee and the circumstances leading to the replacement of the trustee. In addition, please let us know if we need to change the address of the trust in our records. Have the appropriate instruments recorded in the real property records of the county in which the property is located and mail a recorded copy to Nortex (copies will not be returned) at the following address:
Williams – NorTex Midstream Partners, LLC
Attn: Land Department 2800 Post Oak Blvd Houston, TX 77433
Marital Status Changes: Owners should send, in writing, notice of any changes by providing a copy of a social security card, driver’s license, marriage license, divorce decree or any document showing that the name has been legally changed. Please send copies, (originals will not be returned), to the following address:
Williams – NorTex Midstream Partners, LLC
Attn: Land Department 2800 Post Oak Blvd Houston, TX 77433
Your monthly check for both oil and gas will be mailed to you by the end of each month. The minimum amount that must be accumulated before a check is issued is $25.00, however, in December accounts with accumulated funds of more than $1.00 will be released.
Requests to receive payments via ACH Direct Deposit (recommended) or checks regardless of the amount or when the account balance reaches a designated number, must be made in writing using our ACH Direct Deposit/Update Form to the following address:
Williams – NorTex Midstream Partners, LLC
Attn: Land Department 2800 Post Oak Blvd Houston, TX 77433
The reasons will vary. If there is less than $25.00 in your account, a check will not automatically be issued. Also, we could have a bad or unknown address on file for you or your interest could be in suspense. Payments are made only for those months when oil and gas is sold from properties in which you have an interest. If there are no sales from these properties, then Nortex will not issue a check for that recording period. Adjustments to earlier payments can result in a negative account balance. In such an event, the negative balance will be carried forward until the account returns to a positive balance exceeding $25.00. At that time a check will again be issued. For more information, please contact Landowner Relations 1-855-245-2300.
If a check is lost, stolen or becomes outdated due not being cashed within 90 days from issuance, please call the Hotline (1-855-245-2300) or send an email for instructions on how to get a check voided and reissued. We recommend enrolling in our ACH Direct Deposit service to avoid payment delays.
The process of effectuating transfers as a result of death varies by state and depends, in part, on whether or not the decedent died testate (with a will) or intestate (without a will). Please contact Landowner Relations 1-855-245-2300 for the appropriate instructions for the state in which the property is located. Please note that payments may be temporarily suspended pending receipt of appropriate transfer documents.
Owners will receive a 1099 statement for payment received in the prior year. 1099’s are required by law to be mailed out by January 31st.
A division order is a contract of sale to the purchaser of oil or gas. The order directs the purchaser to make payment for the value of the oil or gas purchased in the proportions set out in the division order.
All states have escheat or abandoned property laws that require the reporting of funds held for its Citizens or those who have deceased leaving no heirs. To reclaim these funds, you must contact the office of the applicable state.
The website for the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administration is located at: www.naupa.org.
Royalty payments may be suspended for a variety of reasons, including:
Unexecuted Division Order and/or IRS W-9 Form
Unsatisfied title requirements
In process transfer of property
Death of owner
Lack of contact information
Ongoing or prior litigation
New Pipeline Projects
We strive to ensure the process of easement acquisition is transparent, clear and simple. We accomplish this by adhering to the following commitments:
1. Provide Information
We begin the process by contacting each landowner to request permission to survey and stake the preliminary route for environmental, engineering and construction evaluations. Our goal is for all landowners to understand all proposed features of the pipeline.
Fair Compensation
We’re committed to dealing fairly and paying each landowner for two things: a fair value, based upon market value principles and the number of acres needed and for the privilege of establishing a permanent easement across their land. We’ll obtain a permanent easement, but you’ll retain ownership and use of the land. Damages to crops, grazing lands, timber or any structures directly caused by construction and maintenance of the pipeline will also be compensated.
2. Prompt Payment
After the conditions and the amount of compensation for an easement are reached and the easement agreement is executed, a check will be issued to you.
3. Advance Notice
We’ll be sure to let you and any tenants know the actual timing of construction as far in advance as possible. This allows you and your tenants to schedule farming or other activities in ways that minimize any hiccups.
4. Respect for Ownership
You will retain ownership of the land. The easement (for right of way) only gives us the right to construct, maintain and operate a pipeline. Your use of the land, with certain limitations, will remain the same as before construction.
If you’re a landowner and your property may be impacted by a new pipeline or an expansion project, we’ll notify you with all the necessary information. This process normally begins with a request for permission for our representatives to conduct various ground surveys on the property.
Generally, ground surveys cause little to no disruption to landowners. We’ll also actively interact with property owners to address concerns and, in some cases, modify route plans based on feedback.
A request for permission for company representatives to conduct various ground surveys on the property.
Survey crews survey collect important data and assess environmental, geological and archeological conditions.
Survey crews walk the pipeline study corridor and in some cases may dig small holes or leave small stakes behind.
