First Meeting of Creditors Scheduled; Bar Date to File Proofs of Claims Set

On March 30, 2012, the Bankruptcy Court entered a Notice scheduling the Debtor’s First Meeting of Creditors for Friday, May 11, 2012, at 11 a.m. in Bankruptcy Court Conference Room B110, U.S. Courthouse, 17 South Park Row, Erie.  The Notice also set the deadline for all creditors to file a proof of claim in the Bankruptcy Case for August 9, 2012.

Orders Entered Approving Debtor's Use of Cash Collateral and Broker; Debtor Files Completed Petition, Schedules, & Monthly Operating Reports

On or about March 22, 2012, the Debtor's Final Order Authorizing Use of Cash Collateral was entered by the Court.  Essentially the Debtor will be permitted to use cash in accordance with the approved budget to continue operations unless or until the bank or another interested party files a motion to terminate that authority.  In addition, on or about March 27, 2012, a modified Order was entered approving the Debtor's Broker, Joseph W. Haas and Reserve Energy Exploration Company, for the purposes of assisting the Debtor with the marketing and sale of certain of its oil and gas leaseholds.

Also on or about March 26, 2012, the Debtor filed its completed bankruptcy petition and schedules, which include information related to all of the Debtor's unsecured creditors, in addition to a listing of all of the Debtor's other debts, assets, liabilities, contracts, and certain other financial transactions over the last year or so.  Finally, the Debtor has also filed its first two (2) monthly operating reports ("MORs"), which generally contain information related to the Debtor's gross receipts and disbursements, including copies of the Debtor's bank statements and payroll.  The Debtor will continue to file MORs on a monthly basis.  Please feel free to contact us at ozgascommittee@quinnfirm.com to obtain a copy of the Debtor’s completed petition and schedules, MORs, and/or any other pleadings as filed.

Debtor Moves for Approval of Oil & Gas Leasehold Broker, Court Enters Orders Regarding Employment of Certain Professionals

On or about March 2, 2012, the Debtor filed a Motion to Assume Broker Agreement and an Application to Employ Broker, which seek to maintain the pre-existing/pre-petition relationship the Debtor has with Joseph W. Hass and Reserve Energy Exploration Company.  If approved, the proposed employment will allow Reserve Energy Exploration Company to continue assisting the Debtor with the marketing and sale of certain of its oil and gas leaseholds in Pennsylvania.  An expedited hearing on the Motion and Application have been scheduled for March 22, 2012, at 3:00 p.m. in the Bankruptcy Courtroom, U.S. Courthouse, 17 South Park Row, Erie, with responses due by March 21, 2012 at 12:00 p.m. 

Additionally, on or about March 7, 2012, the Bankruptcy Court entered an Order Approving Counsel for Creditors’ Committee, which confirmed the appointment of Lawrence C. Bolla, Esq. and the Law Firm of Quinn, Buseck, Leemhuis, Toohey and Kroto, Inc. as Counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors.  An Order approving the application of James E. Sprague and Walthall, Drake & Wallace, LLP as Debtor's Accountant was entered as well.  The Debtor's Application to Employ Richard N. Selby, II, Melvyn E. Resnick, Jodi Littman Tomaszewski, Erik L. Walter and Howard S. Rabb and the law firm of Dworken & Bernstein Co., L.P.A. as Special Counsel was previously withdrawn.

Deadlines Set for Responses to Entry of Final Order Approving Debtor's Use of Cash Collateral and Additional Pleadings

On 2/15/12, the Bankruptcy Court entered a Second Interim Order Authorizing Use of Cash Collateral (“Order”) with respect to the Debtor's continued access to operating funds during the pendency of its Bankruptcy Case.  Concurrently therewith the Court also scheduled a hearing on the final entry of the Order for 3/22/12 at 3:00 p.m. in the Bankruptcy Courtroom, U.S. Courthouse, 17 South Park Row, Erie, with responses to the Order due by 3/15/12.  If no responses are filed, the hearing will be cancelled and the Order will become final.

Also on 2/15/12 the Bankruptcy Court scheduled a hearing on the Motion by Debtor for Entry of Administrative Order Regarding Interim Payment of Compensation and Reimbursement of Expenses of Professionals for 3/22/12 at 3:00 p.m. in the Bankruptcy Courtroom, with responses to the Motion due by 3/15/12.  


In addition, the Debtor's Application to Employ Richard N. Selby, II, Melvyn E. Resnick, Jodi Littman Tomaszewski, Erik L. Walter and Howard S. Rabb and the law firm of Dworken & Bernstein Co., L.P.A. as Special Counsel and the Debtor's Application to Employ James E. Sprague and Walthall, Drake & Wallace, LLP as Accountants are currently scheduled for hearing on 3/8/12 at 9:30 a.m., with responses to the Applications due by 3/1/12.  An Order Granting Application to Employ Bernstein Law Firm, P. C. as Attorney for Oz Gas, LTD was previously entered on 2/7/2012.

Welcome

Welcome to the information website for creditors of Oz Gas, LTD. ("Debtor").  The Debtor filed a voluntary Petition for Relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code on January 11, 2012, in the Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Erie Division.  

On January 31, 2012, the Office of the United Stated Trustee for the Western District of Pennsylvania formed the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Oz Gas, LTD. pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 1102. Members of the Committee include Pennsylvania Brine Treatment, Inc., Fisher & Father, Inc., and Hess & Associates Engineering, Inc.

Also on January 31, 2012, the Committee held a meeting at which it elected each member as Co-Chair. Thereafter, the Committee voted to engage the Quinn Law Firm as counsel to represent it in these proceedings. Quinn’s retention application was filed on February 1, 2012.  Any objections or responses to the application are due by March 1, 2012, and a hearing is scheduled for March 8, 2012.

This site will be updated throughout the bankruptcy proceeding in order to provide creditors with information about the Debtor's case.  Creditors are able to submit questions and/or comments to the Committee at ozgascommittee@quinnfirm.com.  Please check back for additional updates.

Creditors can also access the Debtor's court docket through the Bankruptcy Court’s PACER website, which is https://ecf.pawb.uscourts.gov.  In order to access the docket and view documents filed in the case you will need to obtain a PACER ID, which will require a credit card. PACER charges $.08 per page view.