Britnee,
Don't worry just about the up-front money (although that is important). Think about what is important to you and your heirs. Here's my list of things you want to include in an addendum, if you sign a lease. Even for 3.5 acres, it is worth having an attorney draw this up for you.
1. Cost-free royalties. And don't settle for anything under 25%.
2. Vertical pugh clause -- reserve for yourself the formations both above and below what is drilled in the primary term.
3. Strict rules on the ability of the operator to shut in the well. And reasonable shut-in payments.
4. A rule that you must be notified any time that the lease is sold or assigned to another company.
5. If you think the surface of your land might be used, that's a whole new area. You will want to ensure you are adequately compensated for drillsites, traffic, pipelines, etc.
Even for something as small as 3.5 acres, I think you should get this. Remember, this lease will likely go for 50 - 100 years, so don't cut corners. Do it right.
There are no completed Haynesville horizontal wells in your immediate vicinity to help gauge the quality of the shale. With a capable operator, I would expect an average or slightly better well. Discounting any possible surface value since I do not know the nature of the 3 1/2 acres, I'd agree with Spring Branch.
I have a couple of acres in 17/14 as well. As you can see from the last Units by Township map recently posted here, there is nothing going on in our t/s. In fact, our t/s is the only t/s in the entire H/S without a unit or well. Nothing.
I'm not complaining. I was just making a point about the map. Almost smack dab in the middle of the H/S is a t/s (17/14) that has zero units, zero wells and evidently zero interest. I know it's in the middle of the city and that that is the least desirable place to put a rig, but zero, nothing. And I can't even say I'm waiting for my lease to run out 'cause I have'nt leased the first time.
George, 17/14 is anything but right smack dab in the middle of the Haynesville shale! It is very much on the northern edge of the play. You will eventually be leased, but Shale Geo is right. There are some undesirable aspects of urban drilling, which become even more undesirable @ $4.20 gas. P.G., you must be referring to your Section rather than your Township about not having anything going on.