Rick Smead is a veteran in the natural gas industry. If you have read anything on shale gas reserves, you have have probably read something that he had a hand in creating. This come-lately niche has led to 100 speeches on the topic over the last 3 years. Rick was holed up in a Washington D.C. law firm for a few days serving as an expert witness. I went in and met with him to discuss his…

Disclosures During Oil and Gas Lease Negotiations - Texas and Louisiana



The oil and gas industry has always been subject to booms and busts. Barnett Shale and Haynesville Shale lessors are recovering from their first “bust.” Their roller coaster ride started with oil and gas lease terms of $200/acre and a 1/8th royalty, up to $27,200/acre and a 1/4th royalty, and then back down to $500-$5,000/acre and a 1/5th royalty. In some cases, it seemed like the “going rates” changed…

Mineral Estate Surface Use Limitations



Any surface damages discussion must begin with the caveat that the mineral estate is dominant to the surface estate. This means that the mineral owner has the right to use as much of the surface as is reasonably necessary to develop the minerals but must do so with due regard for the rights of surface owners and without negligence. Texas law defers generally to the lessee’s view of reasonableness. To make matters worse for surface owners, the…

Hiring an Attorney – Some Thoughts



By: Eric C. Camp



Here are some things individuals and companies (collectively called “Clients”) should consider when hiring an attorney.



1) Conflicts of Interest



A preliminary issue is whether the professional responsibility rules regarding conflicts of interest prohibit the attorney from representing the prospective Client. These rules generally prevent attorneys from representing Clients in…

I was wondering if anyone could help me. I have a Natural Gas well in the Ozark Highlands Exploratory Unit. We signed a lease for five years wich is shut in afterwards. The well has now been sitting for seven years with no activity. South West Energy is the Lessee. I understand that the Unit is a massive project, about 182,689 acres. We have the mineral rights to 80 acres wich the well is on. Southwest Energy claims that they are experiencing delays for the pipeline that is to be attached to…

Chesapeake is often criticized for its financial decisions and aggressive techniques to develop natural gas and oil. In plain and direct terms, this article analyzes each decision and the result is surprising. What are your thoughts?

Seeking Alpha: CHK's $34B Value Creation with Zero Net Cost

After reviewing many of the posts regarding mineral rights inheritance in Louisiana, I could not find a reply to one poster's question on the value of forming family LLCs to hold mineral rights.  Evidently, many LA attorney's recommend them but I have yet to see anyone list compelling reasons for relatively small mineral rights owners to go to the expense to form one.

   In my case,  I collect relatively small royalties from some 40 wells scattered on many small lots spread throughout…

Are any companies actively leasing in the area north of Gonzales to the county line and east of 304?

I have family interested in one company because the company offered the huge bonus check, $2,750. Per acre this of course is nothing to sneeze at right? And the bonus check is…. Well $10,312.00 to be exact and 3/16 or 18.75% royalty from a company with no website, history and no answers…

And then you have Petrohawk.

They offered me $2,000 per acre @ ¼ royalties.  Hey, I know Petrohawk although…

There is one  thing for sure, that the TMS is very tough to fracture.  I did the work on the Spears wells many years ago.  Is is by no means as easy job to perform.  It takes alot of know how.

Brown Dense exploration will occur outside known South Arkansas oil fields, AOGC head says

• Story…

I have 152 acres in San Augustine county, TX and have been approached by a landman to lease the acreage to drill a Haynesville shale well.  Can anyone advise me on the going rate for the signing bonus?

Bill 972/243-3786

impact@impactstamp.com

The Times' article “Insiders Sound Alarm Amid a Natural Gas Rush,” does not reflect the IHS position on shale gas.

 

Emails referenced in the article were written in 2008 and 2009, early in the understanding of the performance metrics for shale gas and have been proven completely wrong by events. One of the emails that was referenced in the article as from IHS was apparently written by someone misidentified as an IHS employee when in fact that person…