Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ruth Dickson on September 22, 2011 at 8:26am

Steve, you would have to have an abstract (research of your oil/gas leases) to see if you might be elgible to lease your deeper levels if your current lease says to the "Queenston Formation" only as the Utica shale is several thousand feet deeper than the Clinton/Medina level which is  mostly what the Guernsey County vertical wells are harvesting.  Some leases say this and some say from the surface down.  If yours says from the surface down and the wells are producing you may be HBP which means held by production and the well owners may have already sold your rights to Anadarka (if you have Artex wells).  You can spend time learning how to read and research your deeds and old leases at the county clerks office in Cambridge on Wheeling Ave. or you can get someone to do the abstract for you.  There are several oil/gas attorneys in Cambridge that can probably get this done for you, or you can ask a landman and see if they will do it for you (most won't unless you sign up with them) or contact Mike Bilaj, his wife does this also at  mbelaj@frontier.com       Good luck, R.Dickson  Be careful - you don't want to spend money on an abstract if you are HBP as this would be a waste of money.  I believe if your land is drilled on you would still receive royalties.  There are more knowledgeable folks on this website than I, perhaps one of them can answer your questions better or try and get a hold of Mike.

Permalink Reply by Red Skelton on September 22, 2011 at 8:46am

If you have currently producing wells on your property the answer is no.

Permalink Reply by Shower Bath on September 22, 2011 at 10:03am

Here are a few questions, that might help: Who was the operator/driller of your wells? Are they still producing? Do you receive a royalty and from whom? What size were the drilling units for each well? Was your entire property leased as one unit? Have you been approached by any landmen wanting to lease the deeper strata? When you leased, did you also sign a seperate contract giving them right-of-way for pipelines?

Randy