Looking for a Lease Release Demand Letter

Hi All

We have several companies who are paying us on a yearly basis for maybe 50 BBL's of Oil in what I consider an attempt to HBP us. I want to send them letters stating that their payments/production do not justify HBP status and we want a release of the lease. I think this is the correct way to proceed in this matter. If not, maybe someone has a better suggestion. We have no idea what deeds they may be using to lease, thus don't know the terms of the lease. Some are probably 50 years or older. This also might provide us with a copy of these leases.  In any event, does anyone have a copy of a Release Demand they could share with me. We have an excellent lawyer, but don't want to pay his fee's until it comes to a stand still. Before I hear you scream on that one, understand that we are all lawyers and could probably muddle our way through this if need be.

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Permalink Reply by Jim White on August 11, 2013 at 5:44am
Thanks all. Out of country will reply in couple days
Permalink Reply by Jim White on August 13, 2013 at 12:07am

oops. Sorry about that. I was trying to send a message and kept hitting Add Reply since my Playbook didn't look like it was doing anything. Thanks for the replies. The problem is that there are several of these small yearly payments in a couple of our counties and we have no idea how these companies got a lease. All was done probably 50 plus years ago by my dad who bought only mineral interests and apparently leased some of these out. The leases have probably been sold a dozen times. Going to the counties and doing a search would probably not give us what I am looking for. Even if we could get into the courthouse deed rooms now! These all look to be small producers. I was just wanting a letter to get their attention so we could get a copy of the lease and start from there.....if there is anything to start. I have found in the past that sending a nice letter to these companies asking for anything, will get me nothing but ignored.

Permalink Reply by Nancy Mosley on August 13, 2013 at 3:03am

Hi Jim, I am not sure which counties you are referring to, but for Ritchie, to do long distance deed and lease research is possible. 

for July 1985 to present, go here

https://www.uslandrecords.com/uslr/UslrApp/index.jsp  and select WV then Ritchie.

For earlier things, if you know the name you want to research, for example your father's, write a letter to Ritchie County Clerk's Office, Room 201, 115 East Main Street, Harrisville WV 26362-1298. The letter should say that you want copies of the index pages for "White" (if that is your father's name) for the dates 1940-1985. You can call them at 1-304-643-2164 (you want County Clerk's Office) to discuss paying. When you get the index pages you can see what your father had, write down the deed book and page citations, or lease book and page, etc. and order those. When you find a company that is lessee, to find assignments from them to someone, you get index for that company, etc. until you get to 1985, etc. 

I haven't had to research other counties so don't know specifics, but probably at least some of them have similar situations. Not Tyler; I asked. Without the actual lease you are at a big disadvantage. And some companies will send all the info they have. A phone call to the land department might be the place to start. The landman (land analyst) who handles that area should be able to get the documents. This is perhaps a different landman than the one going out trying to get people to sign leases. A lot of those are independent contractors instead of in-house employees.

Good luck, big job. 

0i7okn54zwbdoPermalink Reply by 0i7okn54zwbdo on August 13, 2013 at 5:17am

Jim,

You're an attorney, correct?  Send a letter of your firm's letterhead.  That should be enough to get their attention.  It's at least a starting point.

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