Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Osborn on July 29, 2008 at 14:34

I did search the records for well over ten years and the mineral rights are still with the 3 acres. I did look up some wells on the Sonris website. I am not sure what I am looking for. It doesn't look like the wells closest to me are producing. I have talked to an attorney who didn't seem to want to help. The well that blew out in December was right behind me.

Permalink Reply by insomniacnla on July 29, 2008 at 14:53

Joe, I will take a look on Sonris, it will only take a minute or two.

Permalink Reply by insomniacnla on July 29, 2008 at 15:11

Joe,

There was a well drilled in Sec. 27 on 12-31-95 by J & W. The well was drilled to a depth of a little over 8,000 feet and is still producing but that was all I could check. I was checking this for you on Sonris and the Sonris site just went down for this info. I will try again in a bit.

It may be that you are held by production on the existing well or it may be that you can lease the deeper depths if the previous owner had a Pugh Clause in their lease.

The easiest and best way for you to proceed would be to hire an attorney to look up past leasing for you. The attorneys in Mansfield already have done a lot of previous title work so they may/may not be as expensive as an attorney in Shreveport.

If you are kind of low on funds, you can do a little of this yourself. If you have already gone to the courthouse and are comfortable with doing it, you could go back and pull any leases under the name of the person/s that you purchased your property from. The lease will state if there are any depth restrictions that would leave you free to lease the Haynesville zone.

For the totally free approach, you can call the o/g companies and give them your information. They will do a quick seach of your mineral title. If the o/g company will lease with you, make sure that you have a clause where you don't warranty your deed or in other words, if the o/g company made a mistake and paid you any money and then found out that you do not own your minerals, then you would not have to pay the money back. No matter what the o/g landman tells you, it would be best to have someone check their work.

Good Luck in your leasing!

Permalink Reply by M. Mcwilliams on July 29, 2008 at 15:34

That was nice of you to run that check. I looked at it, but didn't bother to make note of the info. There is definitely a currently producing well or wells in Sec. 28, and Sunday's newspaper shows two alternate wells in the "locations" report for Section 28.

What was the deal when you bought your property? Is it possible that a mortgage company has a title abstract that you could look at, to start you off in the right direction?

I'm sorry I left you hanging a little while ago - I did just try to look at the Sonris site again and it's down still.

I'll see if I can come up with any other ideas.

Permalink Reply by Osborn on July 29, 2008 at 16:33

Thanks for all the help both of you; I was not able to find any previous lease on this property. I bought the property from a bank after foreclosure. Several months ago Winchester contacted my dad (the property is in his name) and said they owed money but could not pay without a lease. He told them to send it to him to look over but they didn't and we never heard from them again and they don't return calls.

Permalink Reply by insomniacnla on July 29, 2008 at 16:39

The o/g company can pay without a lease, don't let them tell you any different unless the well has not paid for itself yet.

Permalink Reply by Osborn on July 29, 2008 at 17:28

that is why asked them to send a copy for us to look over...there has been no more communication. That was probably in February. They did say they owed money;they did not say for what or how much or how to get it.

Permalink Reply by M. Mcwilliams on July 30, 2008 at 0:05

NOW, it's sounding like you do need an attorney. You may have to call around quite a bit, but it certainly sounds like they know you are unleased, and they are going to sit on it maybe until their hand is forced. Some people I know in DeSoto Parish have been using David Means, an attorney in Mansfield, to negotiate their leases, so you might start with his firm. Maybe call the Murchinson firm that has an ad at this site. An attorney named Alan Seabeaugh has been doing work for some homeowner groups in Shreveport. If you talk to any of them and they sound uninterested, ask who they might recommend. Also, when you call, tell them what you have said here - that the company has told you that they owe you but that you aren't leased. Given the circumstances of your purchase of the property, it's possible that the last owners were not easily found, so that's why the property is not leased. You won't be getting in on the Haynesville Shale money, at least not in Section 28, but the wells that Winchester has there are producing, so you should see something.

By the way, are you the folks with the flea market? If so, then we've met and I've shopped your place. Found some cool stuff there, too.

Permalink Reply by Kay DS1 on July 31, 2008 at 11:38

Dave Means is a close friend of the family and an excellent attorney. I sure he is swamped.
We have Section 21,22,27,and 28 ...14N14W. Also doing business with Winchester and El Paso. Winchester, we just found out does not have the deep depth rights, so our interests are available to other companies. We have not been approached as yet, but have heard that Chesapeake is focused elsewhere.

Permalink Reply by M. Mcwilliams on July 30, 2008 at 0:15

Just looked. Sonris shows that there is a well named the Rambin No. 1 in Section 27. Last report to the state on 4/1/08 was that it was producing 1567mcf of gas per day.

Section 28 shows 5 wells active! One, the Jones 28, shows that it was producing 23256 mcf as of the report date of 5/1/08. Another one, Thomas, was showing similar production as of the same report date. These aren't too shabby figures.

Keep trying to find an attorney, you will need to establish your rights, then get any back due share of the proceeds, and then establish your right to ongoing proceeds. Don't give up! At some point, you or your attorney will have to formally notify them, via certified mail, but try to see about getting represented first.

Permalink Reply by Osborn on July 30, 2008 at 3:25

Ok, thanks and yes we are the flea market.

Permalink Reply by insomniacnla on July 30, 2008 at 4:12

Hey, there is another Shreveport/Bossier attorney that is doing this kind of work. His name is Ryan Gatti and he is also the district judge at the Office of Workers' Compensation, LA Dept. of Labor. If you want, I can get his telephone number for you. He is a super easy guy to talk to, nice and polite, and does not "talk down" to people.

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