Union Parish, LA

All things pertaining to natural gas exploration in Union Parish.

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  • callie sexton

    Thanks so much W. W. for your response and information. I live in Bossier and an acutely aware or the prices offered here in the past few months for haynesville shale---up to $25,000 per acre in some locations. But, now the bubble has burst and offerings are down to $8-10 K. Still a far cry from $250/acre. I have read some postings and know there is good activity in Claiborne and south Ark aslo. I do think the offerings will go up if people can wait it out. Again, thanks for the reply---will contine to check this out. Callie
  • William W. Lynn

    Had an interesting phone discussion with my tenant down in Bernice. He works with various drilling companies and gets around to a lot of well sites. He mentioned that a new gas well drilling site is being prepared in far western Union Parish north of Hwy 2, and south of Alt. 2. There is a road called Weldon Church Road connecting those two roads, and this site is maybe a mile north of La. 2 and just west of the blacktop road.
    The property is the Louis Hurst estate, which is pretty close to my little spot across the line in Claiborne Parish, and even closer to our little Union Parish property. If this well comes in, it might set off some activity in the surrounding area.
  • William W. Lynn

    JT....the well on the Lowry estate on Alt 2 came in a few weeks back. It was a real high pressure well and apparently posed some safety issues.
    I was told that the drilling company closed the well with concrete until
    the new pipeline is in place, then it will be opened again and put into production. Another drill site a couple or three miles southwest of there near the Claiborne Parish line (and almost backing up to my little postage stamp size property) is being worked as I type this. When I hear anything about that weill, I will let you know. One of the hot shot drivers told me that he had been told to prepare for a lot of extra work between now and June. Apparently a lot of leases will end about then and if a well is not in place, the lease is voided and the bonus money would have been wasted. I'm four hundred miles away, but it makes sense to me.
  • John D Cook

    Suppose to be Cook, not Cool don't know what happened. Well is currently being drilled in Sec. 6 T21n 3w in union parish. More than likely will be cotton valley resA or hossten sands, not the smackover. Lowrey well appears to be dry hole according to the wireline though it did have some zones of high pressure. But lets hope for the best in 09. Like they T. Boone Pickens always said this one is dry, the next one will be a gusher.
  • Two Dogs, Pirate

    You can go into your profile and change your name but cool sounds cool to me.
  • John D Cook

    Well in Sec. 6 appears to be a dry hole. Pumping cement in hole now.
  • John D Cook

    Well in Section 6 still has slush pit and bore hole open, perhaps Jamex is planning on moving larger rig in to drill to the permitted depth. Last week well name changed on Sonris, also the derrick on the rig that did the drilling was only rated at 9800ft and well permit is for 12000ft. Any thoughts?
  • greenjeans

    To JT Green...
    Maybe this will shed a little light...
    Plugged and Abandoned wells....if you go to SONRIS for well data, there are codes for 'well status.' A code of "29--dry and plugged" means it was drilled, but never completed and is considered a 'dry hole,' and then plugged.
    Code '30---plugged and abandoned' usually refers to a well that was produced, and then for various reasons, the operator decided to P&A.
    Usually in both these cases, the tubing and production casing are removed, the hole is cemented to bottom depth, and the drill casing is cut off about 5 feet below the ground level, capped with a welded steel plate, and then abandoned.

    The oil company will remove all salvageable equipment, and almost always removes the location rock, remediates the land and return the use of it to the landowner. The lease continues until it expires, and can be released to any other company after the expiration. The water well is usually capped also, unless the landowner requests it be left available for his use.

    I hope this may have helped some...

    greenjeans
  • John D Cook

    Heard that some leasing is going on in the area west of Lillie.
  • greenjeans

    John....

    Hmmmm....how far west of Lillie? Around Corney?


    (your neighbor down Hwy 2)
  • John D Cook

    Around Union Grove Church, offer was not very great I heard.
  • greenjeans

    If I were you, I would NOT lease for that amount. There are several good wells in the Three Creeks (Ark) area, which is just north of Cornie Lake, all along Hwy 9 that runs parallel to the Three Creeks area and Cornie Bayou. These wells are about 9000-9800' and are Cotton Valley, producing both oil and gas.

    Three years ago, our oil lease listed all three...oil, gas, and lignite in the same lease to run year to year, with a 3 yr maxinum. We had certain stipulations on our lease, but they haven't drilled any producing wells close by. The only one drilled was over by Lowery's and it was a dry hole.

    I know there are several geologists looking 'hard' at Union and Columbia counties in Ark, but I will wait to see what happens.
  • John D Cook

    No seismic surveys that I am aware of JT, but understand quite a bit of land around Spearsville has been leased.
  • Jimburgess

    Hello JT Green.......Are you aware of any activity in Union Parish?
    I was contacted on a tract of land....Sec.18,23n,2e....240 acres.
    Was ofered $175 acre,1/6 royalty, 3 year lease.......supposedly a
    Smackover Play.....appreciate your input. Jim Burgess
  • JB13

    Jim - I received a very similar offer except 3/16 and 5 year with a 3 year option.
  • AMA

    Hi all. I have land that adjoins the game reserve and we were just offered 175/acre from a petroleum consultant. About 3 years ago a company came out here and did a seismic survey in the game reserve. We don't know what become of that survey but, we were paid for that as well.
  • John B. Holstead

    Is anyone aware of leasing activity in or near Bernice? If so, where and what terms?
  • John D Cook

    Spearsville area. $125-$175acre, 5yrs. 1/8-3/16 royality. Wildcatting! Never has a deep well been drilled in this area to my knowledge. Hope for the best. Try for 1/5 royality or better at the well head. Lease is just a start.
  • AMA

    All that I have heard has been wonderful. Suppose to be some of the cleanest oil.
    I did see numerous Haliburton trucks going back and forth from the site.
  • AMA

    JTGreen,
    I do not know the formation or zone but, I did just find out some more info on the well. It was Exxon who drilled the well. They had some trouble with it(good trouble) and had to bring in guys from Haliburton to help them get it under control.
    It was a wildcat well that they ran for about a week. During that time it produced 2 million feet of gas per day and 500 barrells of distiline (? bad phone connection) a day. They ran it on a small choke and it still produced a lot. Right now they have it shut-in.
  • AMA

    My clues and Sonris have lead me to this STR:
    017-21N-03E
  • AMA

    According to Sonris the well is status code 29...dry and plugged. That does not fit very well with the information I was given this morning.
  • John D Cook

    Well is in 12-22n-1e.
  • AMA

    John-you are right. That is the well that everyone seems to be crowing about. Those other 2 Exxon wells were surely close. Not sure how I missed that one but, thanks for bringing my hopes back to life.
  • AMA

    All I have is hearsay and all that I have heard from people who visited the well and spoke with the workers it is suppose to be big. Way bigger than the going lease rates.
  • AMA

    Again, just hearsay but, no. They don't know what type of sand it is. Anyone brave enough to call the company who did the drilling? I wonder if they would even tell. So many have said this well is hush-hush.
    John, what say you on this well?
    Would the well reports give any indication as to what is to come?
  • John D Cook

    Probably in the Smackover. Calling the energy company would be useless. The only people who can get that info are the investors in the well. Have heard that the tank battery was removed and there is just the tree there now.
  • Toni Musgrove

    I just got approached yesterday by Pinebelt. 200 per acre and 3/16..
    any help would be appreciated.
  • North LA

    We were offered $150/acre and 3/16th by Pinebelt last week.
  • Mary Alison Anders Knighton

    I spoke with the Project Manager for Pinebelt. I have a signed lease with them. He explained to me that they are close in obtaining leases in Union Parish. This area seems to be very new. I have also been in contact with Pinebelts President. From what I understood is that there has not really been exploration in this area since late 1970 - early eighties .
    I signed with a $200 acre..3/16th. Again this a new deal. However, they have new tech now. I know that in late 1970's a company drilled a dry hole in the area...so with the new tech..they can drill deeper and differently.
    i am no expert..this is coming from past knowledge from my family outside of Bernice and from Pinebelts project manager. I am hesitant to give to much info., as I am going on hearsay and some facts. This is what I have to offer now...would love to hear anything. I know they will prospect and drill in the area. They can now go deeper and also I heard it may contain Limestone...not sand. Please if anyone has other info. let me know. I feel I am going on advice from people who know and have lived and been involved in this area for a long time. Hang in there.
  • North LA

    Thanks for the information Mary.
  • Toni Musgrove

    Thanks Mary I went with mine too
  • Mary Alison Anders Knighton

    Patience..my friends..again, please, what I have put out there is my opinion from people near and dear to me. Please don't hold me to this. Just giving ya what I have understood. The more I know the more I share.
  • Herman (Chuck) Plonnigs, III

    An observation…we have all read accounts of NW Louisiana experiencing an economic lift due to HS production. Well I just returned…Mansfield literally “throbs” on its 1930’sh infrastructure. Massive industrial strength complexes currently under construction (since January, 2008). The properties I observed were complexes being constructed to support companies directly involved with the production phase of this economic explosion. I stopped at a site in the process of being cleared for drilling purposes and, after asking the foreman for directions, discussed the plans for his site. (I tend to go the school whenever possible). His site was a 13 acre tract from which they have plans of drilling 4 separate HS wells.

    I understand this has nothing to do with current circumstances in Union Parish…which is frustrating as that is where my land is located.
  • Herman (Chuck) Plonnigs, III

    Quick question…W/re lower Smackover/brown dense…I recently had a conversation with a gentleman in Desoto Parish about area activity. I proceeded to ask if he was familiar with the BD formation in Union Parish. His immediate response was something to the effect…do to the higher cost/liability associated with potential production in the BD he didn’t anticipate any real ventures into the formation with the current price per unit being between 3-4 dollars. In his opinion, the per unit price would have to reach $10+ per unit in order to inspire any real economic interest in developing this formation.

    Considering the current activity/production of the Haynesville Shale he didn’t think any real efforts into the Brown Dense should be expected in the foreseeable future.

    He never implied there was nothing there…just the production would be more expensive.

    This has a legitimate ring to it.

    Any thoughts?
  • North LA

    Chuck,
    They're looking for oil not gas. I'm sure the guy you talked to was being helpful but he doesn't know much about the brown dense play.
  • Herman (Chuck) Plonnigs, III

    Well North LA...thanks so much for your response…I have been operating under a false understanding as well. I have been thinking the BD was in fact a gas reserve! I have a friend whose father in law has thousands of acres in Desoto Parish. Several weeks ago I had asked her to ask him what he knew about the Brown Dense…he responded he was too busy with his HS development and didn’t know much about the BD. (I had personally learned of the BD on this web site)!

    My friend told me two weeks ago that daddy in law was discussing business with another oil and gas guy and the guy mentioned Union Parish specifically, by name, as well as counties in Arkansas, as being a key geographical area that would play a large role in BD development. Quote “tell your friend to have patience; he is sitting on a gold mine”.

    The knowledge you have just enlightened me with is encouraging coupled with the above statement.

    Thanks again.

    If I may make an observation. Apparently a growing trend in NW La is to show less concern with upfront bonus money any more interest in higher royalties. (I understand these folks have already made millions). I have been told there exists offers on minimal, in any, bonus money with 35+% royalty returns.

    I’m thinking if current bonus money offers remain the same this is sounding likes a way to go. Each individual will have individual goals and objectives.

    Again thanks…I go the school every time I get on this site!
  • North LA

    This site is remarkable Chuck but take caution and don't use GHS as the final authority. If you have land in Union Parish, aka God's country, then protect yourself by getting a good O&G attorney before signing any lease. As far as the "gold mine" comment goes only time will tell. I think the majority of leasing is over for the year because most O&G companies are at the end of their budget for the year. Like your friend said, be patient and learn as much as you can. I think you're off to a good start.
  • Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant

  • Denise M. Clement

    I live in tiny Spearsville,La. in Union Parish. The volunteer fire dept. currently has a annual budget of $5,000- $2,500 of that has to go to insurance via the Village of Spearsville. They have 2 old used fire trucks/tankers; one is over 30 years and was generously sold to them for $1 by LaPlace,La. 2 years ago (LaPlace has a 1 million dollar fire budget a year for their volunteer companies); this truck was used in Hurricane Katrina and is rusting. The other truck is almost as old and too was used and in ill repair. The village bought the Fire co. 8 new tires a month ago after their retreads kept exploding in the horrific heat at calls over this summer.

    Please...the powers and companys that have come in leasing all this area for their oil & natural gas explorations need to step up and do the right thing and purchase at least a used brush truck for this tiny extremely rural Volunteer fire company (their last fund raiser netted $200)!

    Their response area is about 165 square miles! At times taking them in and out of Arkansas.This is a huge public safety health and safety issue pertaining to oil and gas exploration!!! Spearsville Fire applied for FEMA grants last year with the help of our state Senators...and were notified although they were on the list, FEMA ran out of money:(

    Thank you!

    FYI Contact address:

    Chief Tim Clement

    Spearsville Volunteer Fire Department

    2456 Highway 3121

    Spearsville,Louisiana 71277-2002

    1-318-778-0575

  • John R Carter

    Quick question. I am a landowner in Union Parish near Marion . Sections 9 as all as 19 Township 23N. Is there any drilling or anticipated activity? I live in Bossier Parish and somewhat out of the loop. Thanks
    John
  • Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant

    John, see the  + Add a Discussion button just above Comment Wall, click it and post there.  You're getting very warm.

  • Oklahomachic

    Anyone having deal with Samson Contour swellings to E Jennings in Union? 

  • Ben Barnhill

    I got a letter from Community Minerals,2025 Richmond Ave Suite 1200, Houston, TX, offering to buy my mineral rights on a 100 plus acres in Union Parish.

    Searching on the internet indicates that Community Minerals appears to be a legitimate business. Having said that, I am curious if any other land owners in the "Brown Dense" are getting offers. I am also curious as to whether companies such as these are predatory in nature that essentially rips off land owners paying well below the actual value of the mineral rights.

  • Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant

    Ben, success.  I got an email alert so I think all the group members did.  I'll look forward to any replies you get.  As to mineral companies such as Community being predatory, depends on your point of view.  No mineral owner should ever consider an initial offer as the best offer.  If you were buying something, wouldn't you want to get it for the best price?  If you would consider a sale, you can ask the company making the offer to do some further research, you could provide additional information that might support a better price or you can make a counter offer.  When I deal with a mineral company that I don't know, the first thing I do is a public record search to see if they have filed any mineral deeds.  You can probably do that online for Union Parish records.

  • RR

    I also received a letter from Community regarding buying my minerals in Union Parish. Received two more the same day in reference to buying minerals in Sabine parish. Maybe we're getting close to getting another well!
  • Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant

    RR, to be clear, the offers in Sabine were from companies other than Community?  Offers in Sabine are common.  Not so much in Union.

  • RR

    No sir not by Community in Sabine, just Union. Sabine offers were GEP (which has ours now which were the old Chesapeake wells). I don't recall the other company.
  • Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant

    Thanks my interest here is what, if anything, Community thinks is the future of the Brown Dense.  I see lots of mineral offers all over the play but one for the Brown Dense is a surprise.

  • RR

    I wish they would fire up in the brown dense. Swn had mine but they didn't exercise they're option of course.