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Comment by Rock Man on October 27, 2022 at 10:09

One thing to keep in mind that they don't want to lock in on damages for you and set a standard that others may want to have in their agreements.

Do wait to do yours at end of process after others are "in the barn"

Comment by John G. Hudson on October 27, 2022 at 9:43

Thanks for you for your input Rock Man. The contract was real vague when it came to extra damage. So I changed it to read more specific. The land man didnt sound like any of it was written stone so that kind reaction, I think he will go get as many people to sign up before he amends my agreement. I hope and pray i didnt do the right thing. I have 123 acres in Pitkin. Its about four miles as the crow flies for a real good producing well.

Comment by Rock Man on October 27, 2022 at 7:05

Surface damages are a common issue that seismic acquisition groups have to deal with. Lots of factors involved with this. Depending on the type of seismic acquired (i.e. vibroseis vs dynamite / shot hole charges), operator may be able to easily work around your trees and minimize damage. Or undershoot your property without setting foot on it using offsetting tracts acquisition. 

Hard to explain this but done all the time to avoid surface issues.

But they cannot undershoot your property if they don't have a seismic acquisition agreement.

Shortening the term for acquisition to two years shouldn't be an issie.

Personally, I think that the company is still considering your counter terms - as well as working with probably hundreds of other surface owners trying to get similar surface leases for seismic.

Question - how big is your property? This impacts how seismic company may pursue getting data under it.

Comment by John G. Hudson on October 27, 2022 at 5:57

I own land in Vernon Parish. Just recently a land man contacted me about doing seismic work on my property. My property is basically a tree farm. Well he had a vague 5 year lease for me to do seismic work. I talked with my forester and he advised me to put stipulations in the contract so that i could recoup the cost of damaged timber and to lesson the lease from 5-2 years. I am new to leasing my property but I did what he said. The land man got back with me and said he was working on getting the stipulations in the contract. I havent heard back from him and its been going on for two weeks now. Do you think i shot myself in the foot. They are going for the Austin Chaulk/

Comment by Krkyoldhag on September 8, 2018 at 5:06

way back in 2011 Skip gave some good advice that I listened to..I went to an oil and gas attorney with questions.  This has turned out to be priceless advice.

So listen and digest all the info you can utilize from this site.

Morrison's action to incorporate family farm was good one.  But also I have been reading about the new tax structures local tax authorities and states are putting on mineral rights..all info can get on that would be helpful.  Could result in some of us losing our estates due to these taxes.

Comment by iwana nipper on April 8, 2016 at 15:17

Good for you, keep the tradition going.

Comment by Jan Holland on February 24, 2015 at 10:07

Can Refracs Bring New Life to the Haynesville?

Comment by Mary Alison Anders on January 28, 2013 at 13:01

Keith,

I am a landowner and want nothing other than to keep the land that I was blessed with ,intact. My Grandaddy worked hard to purchase the land in Union Parish and my family has worked hard to preserve it and will continue to do so within our family.   I know my generation and future generations ,of our family land, will heed to my Granddaddy's wishes..."This land is for you and your future generations...keep it in your family and it will always bless you".  Whatever happens within these new developments in NLA, the land is my family land that I and my family will always cherish and will always have.  I for one am looking forward to moving to Union Parish in the near future.

Comment by William C. Morrison on January 9, 2013 at 8:12

Keith, we incorporated our family farm years ago.  We have a carefully crafted charter that requires a share owner to offer his shares to an existing share holder before ever selling outside the family. 

Our grandfather had four living children that grew to adults and now have passed on.  The farm was retained as an undivided partnership and morfed in to corporation.  Originally, it had 100 shares and we were begining to deal with fractions of shares.  For only a few dollars we had a stock split and went to 10,000 shares.  That to certain extent relieved the fraction accounting of fractopma; pwmership that loomed on the horizon.

The farm, or as we like to refer to it, the plantation, is leased to a master farmer.  A simple lease and produces a modicum of income, not much to say the least.  We have retained the front of the plantation and it has four separate areas roughly the same size and the original heirs have exclusive use of those areas until the year 2020.  As such time, any pruient structures will revert to the farm. Today their heirs honor that Usufructs Agreement.

We gather annually at the old house for our "business meeting" in the first week of March evry year and have family gathering with a fine meal served.  We get to delight in Hogs Head Cheese, Cracklings, sometimes Crawfish, other timess fine Beef Roast or a even Jumbalaya.  But more importantly cousins from all over are welcome even if they are not part of the corporation and ownership.  We draw folks from California, Colorado and even Wisconsin not to mention Texas and Mississippi plus the expected Louisiana folks.

So my advice is to incorporate your farm, divide it up in shares, limit the outside sale and you will continue to celebrate at the location for a very very long time.

We have owned the land, Angeles Plantation, since 1856.  By far we are not the oldest land owners in Pointe Coupee Parish as some go back to before the US Revolutionary War of 1776, that go back hundreds of years but we are in the pre Civil War group.   That makes our family relative new comers to Pointe Coupee Parish.

Comment by Cindy Boatman on October 16, 2012 at 2:57

I am an in-house landman and my responsiblities include northern Louisiana, with a heavy emphasis in the Haynesville Shale, Caddo/Deoso Parish.  I lucked onto your website one day while researching online and I now use it on a regular basis to help stay abreast of the latest information pertaining to the various shale plays.  I think you have done an amazing job and I for one am very appreicative of your hard work! Thanks to your website, I have another tool that helps me do my job better and enables me to to better serve our landownes. I thank you and wish the best for you and your family!  

Comment by Bet Crain on October 2, 2012 at 4:12

I have learned so much from this site and I really do appreciate all the hard work you have put into it.  I live out of state and it would have been impossible for me to know what was happening in Red River Parish.  Even though the land is leased we in my family feel so close to the old homeplace my grandfather bought in 1905 and it is the spot where my mother was born and where I spent some part of every week growing up.  We plan to always have a spot to come home too. A natural gas well has been in the block since 1989.  Thanks again Keith.  I have not been on the site much since the revision but I know it will work great.

Comment by j. knox on February 29, 2012 at 15:10

Thank for creating the electronic equivalent of a "neighborhood watch". We need to hang together or, as a patriot once said, "we'll hang separately".