Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Barry D on March 3, 2016 at 7:32pm

Betsy Ann,

Not sure they are scamming, but it's apparent that they have done their homework.

That would be a red flag for me in the process of deciding whether or not to deal with them.

Permalink Reply by Betsy Ann Cox on March 3, 2016 at 7:40pm

Antero told us it sounded like they trying to Top Lease.

Betsy Cox

Permalink Reply by Barry D on March 3, 2016 at 10:52pm

Betsy Ann,

Not knowing the complete details of your situation

I would speculate that the person from Antero is not being completely truthful.

I don't understand how you could top lease property that is HBP

Permalink Reply by G.H. on March 3, 2016 at 7:40pm

How would you construe this as scamming?  I don't know why they'd say that, but it would be an odd strategy to scam someone... tell the person you are trying to scam whether they are receiving royalties or not... something they clearly know the answer to.

Permalink Reply by 0ym9x5ag7ury2 on March 6, 2016 at 1:20pm

I did an internet search for Braxton Minerals in WV, using several different search titles, and checked this site. Braxton Minerals didn't show up as existing as a company. You could check with the department in WV that licenses companies in WV and see if this company exists.

People "come out of the woodwork" when they think you have something of value that they can make theirs.

Dealing with the oil and gas industry isn't like dealing with the Mom & Pop store downtown.

Most US citizens are completely unprepared to deal with the lack of ethics encountered in the realm of oil and gas. The goal is to make what is yours theirs. 

Money (your money) brings out the worst in people.

Permalink Reply by Robert Bauer on March 7, 2016 at 3:13pm

My name is Scott Bauer, I am the CEO of Braxton Energy, LLC, which is the parent company to Braxton Acquisitions, LLC, Braxton Appalachia, LLC and Braxton Minerals, LLC. I am an attorney by trade and at 28 years old, I negotiated the best lease terms at the time in Barnett Shale (considered the grandfather of shale plays because its status as being the first produced on a horizontal slickwater frac) representing the first group that really organized to lever a better deal.  I was fortunate to be put in that situation as it quickly vaulted my career, not bc of just the deal terms I got, but bc of the direction I chose to go after receiving significant publicity from the early success.  Being an associate at a small law firm, the business model was to capitalize on the exposure and charge large retainer fees for my services. Upon being told of the direction the firm wanted to move in, I immediately turned in my two weeks notice.  I had a different model in mind and I think all would agree, it was unique.  I decided I would take every group that was forming or needed help forming and represent them for free.  At one point I represented approximately 100,000 landowners at the same time.  Since my services where pro bono, I couldn't afford a secretary and I openly gave every single landowner my cell phone number.  The largest single group I represented was 13,998 different landowners, for which we held weekly meetings that held a packed house every night.  I took the idea of gaining leverage by numbers to an exponential level.  During that time period, I learned as much as one could, simply from seeing as many different situations play out.  Under measures of success that simply stayed within the confines of the lease terms and bonus and royalty, I think I still hold the record, using a lease form of approximately 45 pages that I created and became a standard in the play, and on the financial side, we obtained $30k/acre for lease bonus on a 3 year primary term and 2 year option at full bonus paid for the 2 year option term and a 30% royalty.  This was obviously in the bubble of $14.00 gas prices, but even negotiating this deal and getting the opportunity to see it play out, I quickly learned the reality of bubbles and that creating a deal that doesn't work at the end of the day wasn't in the best interest of either party.  By representing all these people, I was fortunate to create a large platform for which I utilized to gain as many relationships, information and understanding what each side was working towards as they were structuring each deal.  I know this is one of the first questions, how did I make money doing things for free.  Again, utilizing that platform of relationships, information and understanding, I acquired thousands of acres of leasehold outside the areas I was representing, with the landowner always being a partner and taking a more difficult acquisition approach of explaining and educating each landowner as to what was happening in the surrounding area and even with their specific property.  I felt then as I do know, if the ball isn't hidden and scare tactics are not used and the landowners gets to learn about their specific situation, they will choose Braxton.  In the collapse and rebound thereafter, I was asked to speak by various governing authorities in several different shale plays.  I began my career in Ohio in 2010 at the request of county and township officials in Stark County (I kept those first two articles about the first meeting I spoke at in the Akron Beacon and online for the Independent about my unique pro-landowner approaches to an industry that carries much skepticism bc I am truly proud that the message came across as I meant it and both papers that have written stories on the other side of land, were very kind to me) to come and speak about my thoughts and experiences about an industry that is still in its infancy from a landowner's perspective or representative thereof.  I didn't know at the time, but that meeting began what I see as a career defining day.  Since then, Braxton has been solely focused on the Appalachian Basin, its nuances, unique collective block of plays from high pressured Utica dry gas, to the current limits of the more oil prone section of western Guernsey, down to the super rich Marcellus, liquids heavy southern Marcellus in WV, Upper Devonian, and every other play in between.  I couldn't be more fascinated, more intrigued, more excited, or having more fun than I have been over the past 5 plus years.  I personally read between 4k-7k pages every week to two weeks learning as much as possible about each play, the factors that not only go into geology, but the specific factors ranging from the DMA in Ohio to the finding ways to clear title faster in WV than our competitors.  If there is truly a concern about Braxton, my cell phone number is 817-905-7268 or 740-827-7516.  And its easy to throw out unsubstantiated attacks, but you don't see any landowners I have worked with over the years on this thread.  I have come up with unique ways to gain competitive advantages from software that can read cursive (automating title) to maximizing the value of vertical integration through acquiring unique assets that save operators up to $2.3 million per well (an idea that came up when the price fell and I was looking for ways to create efficiency).  I know most every CEO, Antero leased the farm I grew up on in Texas and know that any reference about Antero referring to Braxton as a scam is not a thought shared by executive management that shows up on their web page.  I am greatful for the success that Braxton has had over the past decade and that we are quick to adapt to down markets just as we are to rising markets.  I am most proud of what everyone of the landowners I have signed has been gracious enough to say.  I am saddened by the comments made, mostly bc they are ill informed.  Braxton Minerals isn't leasing and definitely is not top leasing.  Braxton is also not an operator and makes no such claims.  We assembling a portfolio of assets in the basin that we are not flipping and with our high capitalization, we will retain for as long as I am still the founding CEO.  I also am willing to personally meet with anyone who has any concerns and whoever has made comments above on this board regarding my integrity.  I would put the decision in the landowners hands everyday of the week.  I'll sit across the table from anyone and any competitor.  I see the business differently than the norm and I am very proud of that.  I hope anyone with any concerns calls, bc I assure you, I will come visit and sit face to face and let everyone make their conclusions.  Thank you all for the time 

Permalink Reply by Marcus on March 7, 2016 at 4:29pm

Mr. Bauer,



My dealings with your company, and more particularly the gentleman I spoke with, was very informative. He explained all my options and how your cash offer would equal the royalty payout over time. My family and I decided to take to cash buy out, due to the fact we can and will do more with the money in hand that the expectation of unpaid/unknown future royalties. Either way, my family and I thank you for the honesty, as to my options and paying me the amount we agreed to and in a more expedient time frame than ANYONE else has presented. I never considered your offer as a scam. It was my choice to sell any fraction of my own interests, just like any other mineral owner has the same option.



Regards,

Marcus

Permalink Reply by Skid on March 7, 2016 at 3:13pm

Hello Betsy Ann,

We have interest in Ritchie County and have received letters of interest from Braxton as well as others. They simply want to purchase our mineral rights - no scamming involved. Its up to you, the owner (with assistance from an O&G attorney), to determine if selling your  interest is something you wish to do. I'm not interested in selling so I've ignored the offers. It might be simpler for me because they have not found my phone number so they have to write snail mail.

Susan

in selling them to determine if Braxton is offering a fair price. We have no interest in selling so I did not respond.

Permalink Reply by 0ym9x5ag7ury2 on March 7, 2016 at 4:39pm

Most US citizens are completely unprepared to deal with the lack of ethics encountered in the realm of oil and gas. The goal is to make what is yours theirs.

I stand behind the above comment.