AboutJames H. McConnell, CPL Expertise READ CAREFULLY BEFORE ASKING ME A QUESTION
I will try to answer questions about oil & gas leases, minerals, royalties, and servitudes, if the questioner has provided a good description of the lands. I require a section, township and range for any land not it Texas. I require a survey name and an abstract number if the lands are in Texas. I will answer questions about offers to lease or purchase mineral interests only if all terms of the offer are in the question, including the term, the royalty and the amount offered. Failure to provide this information will result in the question being rejected.
I have answered more than 2300 questions on this site and get as many as fifty in one day. I do not have the time nor am I inclined to deal with detailed questions requiring an attorney. I am not a substitute for an attorney. If you do not write in a cognizant form, I will reject your question. If you have done real research and have a question I find interesting, I will answer it. If you haven't done any research on your own, I will not do it for you.
If you do not rate the first answer, do not send a follow up, because I will reject it. If my time means so little to you that you feel that you cannot take your time to rate an answer, I do not have time to answer another question.
Experience I have been a Professional Landman for more than thirty five years. I have drilled and operated oil & gas wells in Louisiana and Texas and an familiar with the rules and Regulations of the Texas Railroad Commission and the Louisiana Department of Conservation. I have testified in court as an expert witness.
Question I have 2 questions:
1) How can it be possible for an oil company to come and drill on one side of a road and not take oil reserves from below from the other side of the road.
2) Our family sold property and the 10 years will be up in 4 months at which time the new owner, owns royalties. We leased with an oil company that stated they would drill before we loose the royalties. Is it possible if the new owner is a lawyer, that he contacted the oil company and made some kind of an agreement for them not to drill so he will get the new royalties? Is there any legal action we could take?
Answer If the road is the lease or unit line, it's possible to not take reserves from across the road.
If they have taken a lease from the landowner, you probably are not going to own your minerals past four months. They still have 120 days to spud a well on your minerals.
