For many years of the Haynesville Shale Play it was common for royalty payments to begin about four months after a well was first reported complete on SONRIS.  Then the delay for some wells became six months and then eight.  Mineral owners begin to be concerned and to complain.  Some wanted interest on the monies that they were denied and that operators were retaining for their own benefit.  There is a Louisiana Mineral Code article that addresses late payment and the right to interest on delayed payments.  I'll post it below.  Be advised that this is a complicated legal question and one only an experienced attorney should answer based on your specific situation.

I am attaching a spreadsheet of the wells that are eight to sixteen months past their completion date and have no reported monthly production on SONRIS.  Those oldest wells go back to August of 2023 and are in red under the “Completed” column.  Those that will be at least eight months past their completion date are in purple starting in February.  In my opinion that is disturbing and far longer than what I have seen in the past.

My question for the member is – Are you receiving payments on these wells?

Click on the link below to see the list of wells and their dates.  In the Section-Township-Range column (STR), all townships are "north" and all ranges are "west".

Article 139 of the Mineral Code:

     If the lessee pays the royalties due in response to the required notice, the remedy of dissolution shall be unavailable unless it be found that the original failure to pay was fraudulent.  The court may award as damages double the amount of royalties due, interest on that sum from the date due, and a reasonable attorney's fee, provided the original failure to pay royalties was either fraudulent or willful and without reasonable grounds.  In all other cases, such as mere oversight or neglect, damages shall be limited to interest on the royalties computed from the date due, and a reasonable attorney's fee if such interest is not paid within thirty days of written demand therefor.  

ARE%20YOU%20BEING%20PAID.xlsx