§22-8-4 Oil over 35 degrees Baume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit; inspection and measurement; loss. - West Virginia Statutes

§22-8-4. Oil over 35 degrees Baume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit; inspection and measurement; loss.

All petroleum of a gravity exceeding thirty-five degrees Baume, at a temperature of sixty degrees Fahrenheit, offered for transportation by means of pipeline or lines, shall be inspected and measured at the expense of the company transporting the same, before the same is transported. The company accepting the same for transportation shall give to the owner thereof, or to the person in charge of the well or wells from which such petroleum has been produced and run, a ticket signed by its gauger, stating the number of feet and inches of petroleum which were in the tank or receptacle containing the same before the company began to run the contents from such tank, and the number of feet and inches of petroleum which remained in the tank after such run was completed. All deductions made for water, sediment or the like shall be made at the time such petroleum is measured. Within a reasonable time thereafter the company shall, upon demand, deliver from the petroleum in its custody to the owner thereof, or to the owner's assignee, at such delivery station on the route of its line of pipes as the owner or the owner's assignee may elect, a quantity of merchantable petroleum, equal to the quantity of petroleum run from such tank, or receptacle, which shall be ascertained by computation; except that the company transporting such petroleum may deduct for evaporation and waste two percent of the amount of petroleum so run, as shown by such run ticket, and except that in case of loss of any petroleum while in the custody of the company caused by fire, lightning, storm or other like unavoidable cause, such loss shall be borne pro rata by all the owners of such petroleum at the time thereof. But the company shall be liable for all petroleum that is lost while in its custody by the bursting of pipes or tanks, or by leakage from pipes or tanks; and it shall also be liable for all petroleum lost from tanks at the wells produced before the same has been received for transportation, if such loss be due to faulty connections made to such tanks; and the company shall be liable for all petroleum lost by the overflow of any tanks with which pipeline connections have been made, if such overflow be due to the negligence of such company, and for all the petroleum lost by the overflow of any tanks with which pipeline connections should have been made under the provisions of this article, but were not so made by reason of negligence or delay on the part of the company.