UNT survey: Perception of gas well drilling varies based on distance, royalties - Dallas Business Journal:

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However, the UNT study says respondents changefd their receptivity to the prospect of havint a well near their neighborhood when they were told the hypotheticall well would be built just 200 to 500feet Overall, the survey founfd that 52 percent of the 607 randomlh selected respondents were favorable to hearing about a hypothetica well located at least a thousandx feet from their communities. The percentage in favoer jumped to 65 percent when participantse were asked how they would feel if they could obtain royalty payments from a well located a thousandfeet away.
The studt concluded distance is a determinativw factor in assessing asurvey participant’s level of receptivity to a well in close range. When the hypotheticap well was moved to within 500 feet of a 72 percent had an unfavorable view with no royalty paymentss included in the With royaltypayments included, 59 percenyt were willing to accept a well built withihn 500 feet of their community. However, opposition grew strong on both frontse when the hypothetical well was projected to be 200 feet from a The UNT Survey Research Center said 86 percent of respondentsx objected to having a well that closed withoutroyalty fees.
Even with royalth payments included in the 78 percent of the respondents stillp objected to having a well drilleed within 200 feet oftheir neighborhood. “At 1,00p0 feet, the prospect of receiving royalties appears toinfluence respondents’ favorabilitty rating,” said Dr. Paul Ruggiere, director of the UNT Survety Research Center. “The strength of that influencee dissipates as proposed gas wells get closerto respondents’ neighborhoods.
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