Quiet title action Greene county PA

Has any one had any experience with obtaining a quiet title or filing ancillary probate in Greene county PA?

Views: 1134

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Gas heir on January 6, 2014 at 11:37am
We are seeking quiet title in Mercer County, Pa. Quite honestly, I really don't understand it, we are just paying a lawyer to do it. It is quite complicated. Our lawyer said it would take about 6 to 9 months.
Permalink Reply by Stephen Fox on January 7, 2014 at 8:35am
Have signed a lease yet? We are waiting to receive a quiet title before signing. If you don' t mind saying, which lawyer are you using.
We are out if town owners.
Permalink Reply by Gas heir on January 7, 2014 at 1:35pm
It is A ver, very long story but my grandfather signed a lease with Columbia in 1973. He died in 1977, my dad and his brothers inherited the farm, 277 acres. They pooled us with a couple of others properties making a unit of 418 acres. Columbia subleased to Mitchell and Mitchell drilled a well in 1982 on another propert, not my grandfather's, just under the wire for the 10 yr lease. My dad was paid shut in until 1987. My dad and his brothers parceled up the farm in 1988, each kept a part and they sold the rest. Over the years all of the property owners leased to other oil and gas companies but no other well was drilled.

The well was put in shut-in in 1987, no production ever recorded at the state. The landowner of the propert that the well sat on wanted free gas so he found some local yocals to open the well, without the knowledge of Mitchell. A lawsuit ensued. Somehow Mitchell's signed the well over to these guys in 1997, they never put the well online but sold the gas to a business across the road. My family was never aware we were linked to that well at all.

Fast forward to October 2012. We were approached by swepi to lease our portion, we signed a lease with shell but shell said Chesapeake held us. Huh?? So after an intense amount of research I figured it all out. In 2003 Chesapeake bought Columbia so claim they hold our deep rights because of production from the shallow well drilled in 1982. Chesapeake, of course, will not respond to any legal correspondence, so we have to seek quiet title. They are truly the devil company, they cannot produce a production report but will not release us. The small town guy selling the gas out of the well says he inherited it and claims ignorance. No use going after him because if you take the royalties from a shallow well and divide it up by 418 acres it provably wouldn't pay the postage to send the royalty check! Fun stuff!

Anyway we are using Stepanian from butler for our lawyer, because that is who the other landowners in our predicament were using. I will be sure and post our progress if and when we get some!
Permalink Reply by Stephen Fox on January 8, 2014 at 6:08am

Thank you, I am looking forward to what happens for you, I hope you win out, it is very sad how these oil companies treat the landowners.  We are just starting with our lawyer, and don't want to talk too much about it on this site.  I am like you and don't look forward to the very expensive attorney bills, but what are you going to do?  We know we have the oil and gas rights and are going to fight for them. They have been in our family since the first patent given to my great, great, great, grandfather who fought in the revolutionary war at Valley Forge, and the Battle of Yorktown with George Washington.  I will let you know what happens as I can. Again good luck!  

Permalink Reply by Mike C. on January 6, 2014 at 3:08pm

Beware!!  Most attorneys do not understand the process but they will be glad to "help" you quiet title your rights.

The reason I say this is because if you do not petition the correct parties the quiet title action will be undone and you will lose out on the interest that the attorney told you that you would own even if the court originally rules in your favor.  You need to locate the rightful owners and then give them adequate notice and that means every owner.  Your attorney placing an ad in the newspaper is not sufficient in todays landscape.  If he/she tells you that it is, they are nuts.

Permalink Reply by Gas heir on January 7, 2014 at 2:37am
yes, that's why it takes so long. our lease was signed in 1973 many of the companies involved were bought and sold and hard to find. A sheriff must be sent with the paperwork to each and every one. And we are paying the bill!
Permalink Reply by Stephen Fox on January 7, 2014 at 5:08am

Thanks this information is helpful, we are working with a experienced oil and  gas/ estate planning atty locally in PA.

Permalink Reply by WTF on January 7, 2014 at 9:26am

Steve, If you would, I also need advice from a good oil and gas estate planning attorney. Can you give me the name and address or phone number. Thanks for your help.

Permalink Reply by Stephen Fox on January 7, 2014 at 10:12am

You may want to contact Smith Butz LLC

Their address is :

125 Technology Drive, suite 202

Bailey Center I Southpointe

Cannonsburg, PA 15137

We work with Brendon O'Donnell

724-745-5121  you my use my name as intro

They are independent and only work for you,

We have also used John Agostinelli who is a title abstractor in Greene county, he does excellent work for a reasonable price, his contact number is 724-263-2404, again you may use my name as a reference.

I am retired and trying to consolidate my assets for my children and grandchildren, our farms go back to the original patents from the revolutionary war.

God Luck!!

Permalink Reply by WTF on January 8, 2014 at 4:44am

Steve, Thanks for the info. We are also retired and need to make certain our assets including our gas, oil and mineral rights will remain in our family for future generations. Penn State stated at one of their informational meetings that this gas and oil business will be around here for the next 200 years. 

RSS

© 2024   Created by Keith Mauck (Site Publisher).   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service