Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by penelope kothmann on July 13, 2012 at 16:30

My understanding through my lawyer that is working with Petrohawk on my behalf says that the State of Louisiana has dropped their claim so you should get your money. This has only happened in the last couple of weeks. Good luck.

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Permalink Reply by Roy Austin Smith on July 2, 2012 at 15:02

Well I am finding out petrohaw is about as big a crook as Chesapeake. good luck.

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Permalink Reply by True Texan on July 5, 2012 at 5:19

After dealing with Petrohawk on one lease that is the last one I will do with them. 

This whole company seems to have big problems.

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Permalink Reply by GoshDarn on July 5, 2012 at 7:14

True Texan:

For years, the upside to HK was that they had the expertise to bring in some very good wells.  And they proceeded to do just that on our land (and generally in the HA in NW La.).

Yet they also negotiated quite hard to keep the bonus down and the good clauses out of the Exhibit A.  A number of their landmen were Miss. lawyers.  Tough guys to talk to.

Plus, as you seem to know, over these last couple of years, their interface with royalty owners has deteriorated and has gotten darn iffy at best.  Indeed, when big-steroids BHP took them over, the excessive deductions on the royalty statements skyrocketed, along with poor explanations (with the HK land office seeming to want to duck and cover).

Finally, the La. Attorney General was asked to start an investigation.

The contact info at the AG's office is:

Ryan Seideman 225-326-6085

SeidemannR@ag.state.la.us

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Andrew on July 13, 2012 at 18:47

The issue is probably that by law the state owns the bottom of all natural, navigable waterways and they are claiming that Bistenau meets thos criteria. If the state owns the bottom,mthey own the minerals under the bottom. And, since the state cannot divest itself of mineral rights nor lose land through acquisitive prescription, if your land was ever on the bottom of a natural, navigable lake then the state will claim the minerals, if not the land. These cases get hairy because a jury has to decide if something was navigable natural waterway in 1812 when the Louisiana became a state.

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Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on July 14, 2012 at 0:45

Bistineau is one of several "Raft Lakes".  Swampy lowlands that became inundated as The Great Raft moved up the Red River and blocked the main channel.  It therefore varied greatly in depth over centuries.  When inundated, it was navigable.  Such was the case at the time it was acquired in the Louisiana Purchase, 1803.  The Great Raft was broken up starting with Henry Miller Shreve and completely eradicated by the Corp of Engineers in the 1870's.  Without the Raft, it reverted to a swamp.  The lake is formed and maintained now by a man-made dam.  So the legal question has been, navigable or not?  And when?  The contour line of the normal high water mark varies greatly from the swamp to the lake. 

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Permalink Reply by smith1 on July 14, 2012 at 1:50

So, many questions still, how were we able to purchase our acreage to begin with 15 years ago? Was the title opinion done incorrectly? Do we really own our land? Does the title insurance have any responsibility to reimburse us? And I am assuming this could take years to decide??? All questions ---- I know that, most likely, will not be answered, any time soon.

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