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Permalink Reply by CW on March 24, 2026 at 12:39pm

I emailed Frio Resources and they said Freedom Mineral Partners were their exclusive leasing agent.

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Permalink Reply by caualie on March 25, 2026 at 3:55am

  Thank You. Never heard of either one of them operating in the Utica. 1 source says offering $2,000 sign on for 5 yrs. No other details.     Might try to make the meeting & at least hear them out.  But if only 1 company has had even mild success up here ?  I don't know. Could  be risky tieing up with a newcomer.

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Permalink Reply by David Cain on March 26, 2026 at 9:18am

I've been talking to an agent from Freedom Mineral Partners for over a year now.  In my case, they are interested in acting as an agent on my mineral rights and selling them to Gateway.  Not aware of them in any other capacity.  I don't normally like to deal with land men/agents, but the guy I have worked with has been very pleasant and easy going.  I haven't agreed to sell anything yet, but am seriously considering selling a portion.  Good Luck

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Permalink Reply by caualie on Sunday

Attended the meeting. As CW said they claim to be leasing for this Frio Resource outfit, whom from what I gather has never operated a well in the Utica .  Offer is $2,000 /acre, 16%  5 years. Their option to renew in 5 for another 5. No details if gross or after deductions.  Expressed some willingness to negotiate on protections but seemed hard & fast on the money , even admitting they had done earlier leases here paying an extra $1,000/acre once drilling began but that offer now off the table. Say they are only interested in 2 townships. Berlin & Milton & western Ellsworth. Very small area. Claim want enough to put a pad somewhere in that area. Why ? Didn't say. Puts them west of the recent Wehr well, which they kept downplaying as "expieremental" & no big deal.  Emphasized they are the only game in this failed area right now, which seems true. My personal impression was Frio gave them X number of dollars to secure enough acreage for 1 multi lateral pad & they are either close to that or running out of budget. Decent turnout if they only invited that small an area. Some question /answer afterwards. My impression  & only my impression ,was crowd somewhat disappointed in the $2000 but listening , however when they dropped the 16% number & admitted they'd taken the drill bonus off the table many just wanted to go home.  Talked to a guy leaving who I'd never met in my life & we both had exact same thought. Why in world would an operator drilling their 1st ever Utica well target a very small specific area of a county which with 1 exception has produced nothing but " dud wells" ? Their own words.

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Permalink Reply by Kambe 21 hours ago

Thanks for the information.  They are being relatively honest in my opinion regarding the area they are trying to lease.  This spot is a fair distance from the successful Columbiana County wells and even the recent Ellsworth well and thus should be considered an exploration well.  Why would they drill wells in this area?  It seems every proven and even lightly proven areas like Northern Columbiana county lease rates have gone through the roof.  In addition, look at the Eog acreage map, they pretty much dominate central Mahoning county,  In addition, the spot looks to be on the edge of the wet gas and condensate windows, which has been the best areas.  Are there any other offers out there for this area?

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Permalink Reply by caualie 4 hours ago

 Not that I'm personally aware of, but I don't exactly follow it either. There are of course the mineral buyers, trying to outright buy all minerals rights for anywhere from $100 up to around these guys leasing offer. Milton township had a ton of successful Clinton wells from the 70;s & 80's & I'm thinking still largely held by production, so any discussions would probably be with those operators & landowners would know nothing about that. Berlin township not so much. Was kind of between the vertical gas wells of Milton & the old oil pump jacks common in Smith & Goshen to the south.  Curious how EOG got so much acreage in Mahoning. Did they renew a bunch of those old Chesepeake leases at that  dollar amount or aquire it later ?

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