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Permalink Reply by Ken Boone on March 28, 2012 at 1:08

There are about 5 properties that my grandmother, mineral rights rather..

The family found this out by accident. Going through her paperwork one day, we discovered that a company tried to buy her mineral rights to 5 sections of land. We figured we would do our own research. 

We also figured this company would not have offered her money to buy mineral rights if she didn't have them. So this is why we are trying to find this info out.

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Permalink Reply by Henry on March 28, 2012 at 23:51

As an aside...  While Ken Boone's grandmother may have known what she owned, she didn't convey that info to her heirs.  I have created, for my family, a "land book" that has a section devoted to every piece of land I own, no matter how tiny.  In that book I note what I own (and include maps), names and contact information for any other joint owners, what (if anything) is under lease (oil, gas, lignite, pipeline ROWs), how I came to own it (purchase, inheritance), and anything that might occur in the future (prescription, expiration of leases, timber cuttings) that my heirs would need to know about.  I also included copies of all past deeds, leases, contracts, division orders, etc.  If everyone would create such a book and keep it up to date, it would make life easier for one's heirs.  JMHO.

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Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on March 29, 2012 at 2:03

Great post, Henry!  I suggest that you make it the topic of a Main Page discussion.  Everyone who owns mineral interests beyond the size of a residential lot should have a book.

Permalink Reply by Andrew on April 1, 2012 at 5:09

Agreed.

Permalink Reply by Andrew on March 28, 2012 at 2:11

I would say that an experienced oil/gas attorney who knows the area would be ideal. However, paying that attorney to do the research likely to be prohibitively expennsive. The best bet is to hire a landman to do a comprehensive "run sheet" that includes every conveyance or encumbrance that affected the property from the original patent from the government to the present day. If the research is thorough and complete, an experiened oil/gas attorney should be able to give an accurate opinion based on that runsheet. This would be more cost-effective but still pretty reliable if you hire competent people.

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Permalink Reply by Krkyoldhag on March 29, 2012 at 2:17

I went to the Panola County deed records and researched my ownership from 1911 to current date.  It took about six hours so take a snack and drink for a break.  But I can tell you I found the land men and researchers there very helpful.  The room was a beehive of activity.  It was also very interesting looking thru the old conveyances.  I would have gone to the wills but found it was not necessary.  Found what I needed.  I had/have an O&G attorney but by researching it myself saved hundreds of dollars.  It just happened that the landman walked in as I was leaving and I told him what I had found, he called his office and within minutes the "problem" of my interests was solved.

The oil companies do make mistakes.

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Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on March 29, 2012 at 2:24

And public records are not always correct or complete.  Better to discover omissions or mistakes with a chain of title and fix it before it potentially becomes a problem.  In the land business they call it title curative.  One common problem is that a succession or judgement of possession is recorded in the county/parish where the owner died but not in the county/parish where the mineral estate is located.  Heirs should get a certified copy of that instrument and have it recorded in the additional jurisdiction.

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