As the Haynesville Play matures and enters a development phase that engages fewer land/mineral owners, does the site loose its relevance and momentum?  The answer to that question for most members is very personal.  For those fortunate enough to have a new and higher level of development regarding their minerals by way of Gas Factories, Full Development Drilling Plans or Super Pads, the obvious answer is that they remain attentive and engaged.  For those who have not been as fortunate, the question is one of a commitment to the long term management of their mineral interest even if that future is not tied to the HA/BO Shale Plays.

Although largely unnoticed by the majority of members, early on in the life of GHS there was some recognition and speculation regarding a future where mineral owners had a prime resource for reliable information and a forum for Q&A and the debate of personal opinions.  A new age of Internet connectivity for all mineral owners.  It was difficult in the heady first months of the Haynesville Play to focus on any long term potential as everyone wanted one of those leases with a $15,000/acre bonus and a quarter royalty.  Few actually got a $15,000 bonus but for a short time many thought they could do better.  Their ability to understand the dynamics driving the Play and the leasing was limited and the general attitude was that offers could only improve.  For many it was a hard lesson learned that the opinion of the many was not grounded in reality.

Over the last six months Keith has seen fit to allow new members to have a forum for their interests not connected to the HA/BO Shale.  Although the beginning of GHS was firmly grounded in the HA Shale, I believe that its long term relevance is much broader.  As the Austin Chalk and Tuscaloosa Marine Shale plays unfold in Central LA., the same may be occurring along the AR./LA. state line for the Lower Smackover/Brown Dense.  As more members participate and share their experiences and questions, we find growing interest in development of numerous formations/zones across an area much wider than the area of economic HA/BO Shale prospects.  Cotton Valley prospects in Marion County and  Annona Chalk and Cotton Valley prospects in north Caddo Parish just to mention some of the most recent.

The breathe of the discussions engaging members is instructive of the site's comprehensive value to a wide segment of mineral owners.  Not only can the membership see up-to-the-moment posts on new lease offers, well permits, completions and unit applications across an area greater than the shale involving a myriad of formations, they can learn about severance tax implications and share information regarding royalty payment deductions.  Those members fortunate to be in the royalty income phase of their mineral interests now have a whole new set of issues to confront. The economic paradigm  that has hampered the continuing momentum of the HA/BO Play actually brings new scrutiny and interest to a wide range of conventional and unconventional reservoirs prospective for oil, liquids and condensate over a much wider area of interest.

IMO, we are just getting started!  And the value of GoHaynesvilleShale grows at it matures and expands to cover more minerals and more mineral owners.  Good Luck to All.  Skip