Utica offer in Greene County

Received a 1500 per acre offer to lease the Utica today. Although I've been out-of-the-loop for a while now on lease offers, that's seems very low. I understand the turbulent market, and the sharp decline in offers and offer amounts (we were offered 4500 last year before the crash). Has anyone else received Utica offers and if so, we're they higher? No need to post the actual numbers if you do not wish to. Thanks!

John

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Permalink Reply by Lynn mudder on April 26, 2016 at 3:51am
It sounds like you separated your Utica from your Marcellus, smart move, very good. Hang in there, if Rice has your Marcellus and you are ready to lease the Utica, I can't believe they won't want that, also. It's a crazy long process, but so far they have been true to their word with us and always communicate pretty well.
0ym9x5ag7ury2Permalink Reply by 0ym9x5ag7ury2 on April 26, 2016 at 5:15am

Lynn,

    I saw Rice's lease contract last year offered to a friend of mine. It included a clause that the landowner could not talk about how much he was paid or details of the lease. Why would any company include this clause in their leases? Something to hide more than likely.

There were several paragraphs that would keep a knowledgeable landowner from signing this bad deal. I posted examples on this website of why I wouldn't sign with this company.

Permalink Reply by Educate Me on April 26, 2016 at 5:40am

Interesting.  I would think all boiler plate leases would have some type of wording stating not to talk about the bonus/% that was negotiated?  Could you please point me in the direction of your examples?  I rarely see anything about G.C. or Rice so looking to learn all I can.

Permalink Reply by Lynn mudder on April 26, 2016 at 6:54am
Ron, all leases are different. All things are negotiable. Our lease has MANY addenda. All you can do is what seems best for your particular situation. Hind sight is always 20/20. No one HAS to sign a lease, but after you do, then no one should complain about the terms. In some ways it is making a deal with the devil, but it has made a big difference for our family. As someone else has said on here, good luck to us all. If you have a large family and a lot of medical bills, it can be a lifesaver. Everyone's situation is different, and I would never judge anyone else for their decision .
Permalink Reply by Lynn mudder on April 27, 2016 at 2:53am
Ron,,we have NONE of the wording that you have posted. Would never have agreed to it. ALL things are negotiable, if not, don't sign. We all have to be careful with any legal document we sign. Do your homework people, if it's not what you want, don't sign. That gas will still be there for another day and company.
0ym9x5ag7ury2Permalink Reply by 0ym9x5ag7ury2 on April 27, 2016 at 2:43am

To Trusting Souls,

Below are the paragraphs that were in this companies lease to my friend. I added a note below each paragraph explaining what the O&G company was more than likely trying to accomplish by writing these paragraphs. I left out the paragraph that silences the landowner from warning a neighbor or friend not to sign this bad lease.

Most people are trusting souls. That's a great way to live until someone who has no Ethics destroys your ability to trust others. I learned that lesson very early in my life when the cost was less than $20. I saw a Trusting Soul busted by Chesapeake in 2014, it's not a pretty sight. The lesson all of you will learn will potentially be in the Millions.

Do what you want. Like the State Of Ohio tells it's landowners: "This is not my problem".

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Contract--------------------------

LEASE DEVELOPMENT.  There is no implied covenant to drill, prevent drainage, further develop or market production within the primary term or any extension of term of this Lease. There are no covenants implied or otherwise. Provisions herein constitute full compensation for the privileges herein granted.

 

This being a contract, you will have signed away your future wealth for $5,000 an acre. The courts will more than likely not be able to break this contract once signed. Normally a lease is signed for Drilling and Well production. If the company doesn't "produce in paying quantities" the lease ends after the primary term. State laws and courts uphold this to protect landowners who didn't intend to sell their minerals, and only lease them for potential development. I've never seen a paragraph like this. The O&G companies are getting smarter as the courts take action to stop their attempted theft.

 

Along with the above, all of these paragraphs have to go:

 

CONVERSION TO STORAGE.  Lessee is hereby granted the right to convert the Leasehold or lands pooled/unitized therewith to gas storage.


 Columbia Gas has a large underground storage field East Of Lisbon that they have paid very little or nothing to the landowners for the storage rights. Now they are trying to claim the fields as their personal Oil & Gas fields even though they have no real claim to the minerals. This went to court.

 

DISPOSAL AND INJECTION WELLS.  Lessor hereby grants to Lessee the right to drill wells and/or re-enter existing wells, including necessary location, roadway and pipeline easements and rights of way, on any part of the Leasehold or lands pooled or unitized therewith for the disposal and/or injection into any subsurface strata, other than a potable water strata, of air, gas, brine, completion and production fluids, waste water and any hydrocarbon related substances from any source, including, but not limited to wells on the Leasehold or lands pooled or unitized therewith or from properties and lands outside the Leasehold or lands pooled or unitized therewith, and to conduct all operations as may be required, for so long as necessary.....

 

Once a producer starts injecting waste products into the ground they won't drill in that area for Well Products for fear of drilling contaminated areas.

 

TITLE AND INTERESTS.  Lessor hereby warrants generally and agrees to defend title to the Leasehold and covenants that Lessee shall have quiet enjoyment hereunder and shall have benefit of the doctrine of after acquired title.  Should any person having title to the Leasehold fail to execute this Lease, the Lease shall nevertheless be binding upon all persons who do execute it as Lessor.

 

Never warrant title, take a look at what this means and why you should never warrant title. 

Permalink Reply by Lynn mudder on April 27, 2016 at 2:55am
Ps. I am NOT a trusting soul
Permalink Reply by Guy Smith on April 28, 2016 at 2:02am

I received an offer last night from a Rice rep "landman"  $1000/acre/18%  yearly/until production for 5 years (with some kind of renew option. ) Greene County / Wayne twp.  but NOT  for Utica Only. all depth.

Wondering if anyone else in Greene/Wayne getting offers from Rice or anyone else? 

  He mentioned Rice has acquired or will acquire Alpha leases in that area.   

Also currently have an offer to "BUY" O&G rights at that same Greene/ Wayne TWP for $7500/acre from another company.

.Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Permalink Reply by rmc on April 28, 2016 at 4:27am
From my limited experience in the Greene county area once you start receiving unsolicited offers for leasing or purchasing mineral rights some company usually has plans on developing that specific area in the next couple years.
Of course I have seen the companies come and go on my farm
Permalink Reply by Paul Butler on April 28, 2016 at 5:18am

See the PPG article I posted today on Rice trying to buy 27,000 Greene County mineral acres, in fee, for $7,500/acre, out of the Alpha Bankruptcy. 

That's less than it was recently leased for.

The creditors are going to scream bloody murder and Rice will get its backside handed to them and look badly in the process.

Locals should contact  the Bankruptcy Trustee and offer $10,000/acre. 

CHK sells leases, akin to ice cubes, for $30,000.00 acre.

Jump on it. 

I would be on those minerals like a duck on a June Bug, but I'm tied up with industry dead beats, blow-hards and no accounts in Texas.

Permalink Reply by Lynn mudder on April 28, 2016 at 8:02am
Please do not "sell" your rights unless you are totally desperate. Greene county should be a very productive area and you can reap many times that amount. Be patient, I believe Greene county will be one of the first areas to be drilling as soon as things pick back up.
Permalink Reply by John B. on April 28, 2016 at 8:04am
I agree Lynn. Avoid the temptation to sell, unless it is an absolute necessity.

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