Showing posts with label mineral rights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mineral rights. Show all posts

Friday, March 2, 2012

Magnum Hunter Resources (MHR) - Utica Shale

By Tim - http://oilshalegas.com

Utica Shale News - Magnum Hunter Resources Corporation (NYSE: MHR) provides an update on the Utica Shale located in Noble County, Ohio.

Magnum Hunter Resources Corporation (NYSE: MHR) announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Triad Hunter, LLC ("Triad Hunter"), has closed on the acquisition of leasehold mineral interests located predominately in Noble County, Ohio (the "Utica Acreage") from an undisclosed seller for a total purchase price of $24.8 million.

The Utica Acreage consists of approximately 15,558 gross (12,186 net) acres predominately located in Noble County, Ohio. The net price paid per acre for this acquisition was $2,037. The majority of the leasehold acreage acquired in this transaction is held by shallower production. The purchase includes all depths of 300 feet below the top of the Queenston Formation down to all further depths. There is no associated shallow production included with this acquisition. There is a possibility of a second closing on another block of similar acreage that may occur on or before April 16, 2012, assuming the Seller can satisfy certain title deficiency requirements.

The Utica Acreage is in close proximity to Triad Hunter's existing acreage position in Washington and Noble Counties, Ohio, and now provides Triad Hunter approximately 18,187 gross (14,815 net) acres in in these two counties, and a total of 23,214 gross (17,316 net) acres that are presently prospective for the Utica Shale..


http://oilshalegas.com/uticashale.html


Sunday, February 26, 2012

Cabot Oil & Gas (COG) - Marcellus Shale Pennsylvania

By Tim - http://oilshalegas.com


Cabot Oil & Gas (COG) recently reported an operational update on the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania.

Cabot's Marcellus effort created a further step change as the Company exited 2011 with field production at 600 Mmcf per day, up from 236 Mmcf per day at the end of 2010 and up nine-fold since the end of 2009. This performance was driven by superior drilling results, including a dozen wells with initial production rates of more than 20 Mmcf per day, and a year where many of Cabot's wells stood out as the top performing wells in Pennsylvania's regulatory filings. For the year, Cabot completed 66 Marcellus wells with a total of 904 frac stages.

Specifically, in data just released by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PaDEP) on cumulative production for the last six months of 2011, Cabot had eight of the top 10 performing wells. In addition, for two of the identified wells, Cabot booked initial estimated ultimate recoverys (EURs) in excess of 20 Bcf each. These two wells, on one pad, have been on production for about 275 days and have cumulative production of 4.5 Bcf each. The Company does have one other well that has exceeded 5.0 Bcf of production since being placed on-line in the summer of 2010. "Also of note, is the result from our first pad drilling effort, which to date has produced 12.5 Bcf in less than 500 days and is still producing about 16 Mmcf per day from three wells," said Dan O. Dinges, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer.



http://oilshalegas.com/marcellusshale.html


Saturday, February 25, 2012

Noble County, Ohio - Utica Shale

By Tim - http://oilshalegas.com

Utica Shale News - Magnum Hunter Resources Corporation (NYSE: MHR) provides an update on the Utica Shale located in Noble County, Ohio.

Magnum Hunter Resources Corporation (NYSE: MHR) announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Triad Hunter, LLC ("Triad Hunter"), has closed on the acquisition of leasehold mineral interests located predominately in Noble County, Ohio (the "Utica Acreage") from an undisclosed seller for a total purchase price of $24.8 million.

The Utica Acreage consists of approximately 15,558 gross (12,186 net) acres predominately located in Noble County, Ohio. The net price paid per acre for this acquisition was $2,037. The majority of the leasehold acreage acquired in this transaction is held by shallower production. The purchase includes all depths of 300 feet below the top of the Queenston Formation down to all further depths. There is no associated shallow production included with this acquisition. There is a possibility of a second closing on another block of similar acreage that may occur on or before April 16, 2012, assuming the Seller can satisfy certain title deficiency requirements.

The Utica Acreage is in close proximity to Triad Hunter's existing acreage position in Washington and Noble Counties, Ohio, and now provides Triad Hunter approximately 18,187 gross (14,815 net) acres in in these two counties, and a total of 23,214 gross (17,316 net) acres that are presently prospective for the Utica Shale..


http://oilshalegas.com/uticashale.html


Monday, February 20, 2012

Susquehanna County, PA - Marcellus Shale

By Tim - http://oilshalegas.com


Talisman Energy (TLM) recently reported an operational update on the Marcellus Shale in Susquehanna County, PA. Talisman Energy (TLM) plans to spend $250 million on building out infrastructure as they move east towards Susquehanna County. However, due to low natural gas prices in the U.S, Talisman will reducing their drilling activity.

In the Marcellus, we'll reduce activity substantially in the light of current gas prices. We exited the year with 11 rigs, but will plan to reduce to an average of 7 rigs for this year and are actively considering reducing further to 5 rigs in the play. Even with 5 rigs operating, we expect to be able to hold production around 500 million cubic feet a day. Capital will be between $600 million and $800 million in total, with up to $250 million spent on building out infrastructure as we move east towards Susquehanna County.We produced over 400 million cubic feet a day in the Marcellus last year and about 485 million cubic feet a day in the fourth quarter and secured some of the highest margins in that region


http://oilshalegas.com/marcellusshale.html


Monday, November 7, 2011

Eagle Ford Shale - Price Cost Per Acre - Mineral Rights Leases


November 7, 2011 - Whiting Petroleum (WLL) recently announced some good Eagle Ford Shale mineral rights leasing data. They sold 3,532 Eagle Ford Shale acres in Karnes County, Live Oak County, and DeWitt County Texas for a total of $66.4 Million.

Prospective Eagle Ford Acreage Sold for $66.4 Million, $12,542 per Net Acre

"During the third quarter, Whiting sold approximately 3,532 net leasehold acres prospective for oil and gas production from the Eagle Ford formation in Karnes, Live Oak and Dewitt Counties, Texas for a total cash consideration of $66.4 million before closing adjustments. The transaction, which was effective July 1, 2011, closed on September 29, 2011. Whiting used the net proceeds from the property sale to reduce the amount drawn under its Credit Agreement.

The non-core acreage sold is located in Kawitt, Nordheim and Three Rivers Fields, which produce from the Speary, Edwards, Wilcox and Eagle Ford formations. Recent net daily production was approximately 4.0 MMcfe from 33 producing wells. The property sale also included 16 shut-in and temporarily abandoned wells. The estimated proved net reserves associated with the producing properties were 1.1 MMBOE. Whiting valued the existing production in the transaction at $22.1 million net of plugging liabilities and the acreage at $44.3 million net of the production value, or approximately $12,542 per net acre."



Friday, November 4, 2011

Utica Shale - Chesapeake Energy (CHK) Joint Venture


November 4, 2011 - Chesapeake Energy (CHK) announced major Utica Shale news last night in the form of a joint venture (JV). Chesapeake Energy (CHK) Announces Utica Shale Joint Venture and Utica Shale Financial Investment with Potential Combined Proceeds Net to Chesapeake of Approximately $3.4 Billion. This is the largest deal to date in the Utica Shale and is a sign of things to come!

JV Transaction Values 570,000 Net Acres of Chesapeake Utica Shale Leasehold at $8.55 Billion, or $15,000 Per Net Acre

Financial Transaction Provides up to $1.25 Billion to Accelerate Drilling Across All Phases of Chesapeake’s Utica Acreage, Including Dry Gas and Oil Areas

Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK) today announced two transactions to monetize a portion of its 1.5 million net acres of leasehold in the Utica Shale play primarily in eastern Ohio. Fully implemented, the transactions would result in consideration to Chesapeake of approximately $3.4 billion.

Chesapeake has entered into a letter of intent (“LOI”) with an undisclosed international major energy company for an industry joint venture (“JV”) through which the JV partner will acquire an undivided 25% interest in approximately 650,000 net acres of leasehold in the wet natural gas area of the Utica Shale play. Of this acreage, approximately 570,000 net acres are owned by Chesapeake, and approximately 80,000 net acres are owned by Houston-based EnerVest, Ltd. and its affiliates (“EnerVest”). The JV area covers all or a portion of 10 counties in eastern Ohio (the “JV AMI”). The consideration for the transaction will be $15,000 per net acre, or approximately $2.14 billion to Chesapeake and approximately $300 million to EnerVest. Approximately $640 million of the consideration to Chesapeake will be paid in cash at closing, and approximately $1.5 billion will be paid in the form of a drilling and completion cost carry, which Chesapeake anticipates fully receiving by year-end 2014.

Chesapeake will serve as the operator of the JV and will conduct all leasing, drilling, completion, operations and marketing activities for the project. The LOI provides that the JV partner will have the option to acquire a 25% share of all additional acreage acquired by Chesapeake in the JV AMI and the option to participate with Chesapeake for a 25% interest in midstream infrastructure related to production generated from the assets. The LOI provides for the execution of definitive transaction documents and closing by mid-December 2011.

Additionally, as a first step in a financial transaction led by EIG Global Energy Partners (“EIG”), Chesapeake has completed the sale to EIG of $500 million of perpetual preferred shares of a newly formed entity, CHK Utica, L.L.C. Chesapeake expects to sell up to $750 million of additional CHK Utica preferred shares to other investors, including limited partners of EIG, by November 30, 2011. CHK Utica is a wholly owned, unrestricted subsidiary of Chesapeake that owns approximately 700,000 net leasehold acres within an area of mutual interest in the Utica Shale play in 13 counties primarily in eastern Ohio (the “CHKU AMI”) that encompasses the JV AMI. Chesapeake has retained all the common interests in CHK Utica.

The CHK Utica preferred shares are entitled to receive an initial annual distribution of 7%, payable quarterly. Chesapeake retains an option exercisable prior to October 31, 2018 to repurchase the preferred shares for cash in whole or in part at any time at a valuation expected to equal the greater of a 10% internal rate of return or a return on investment of 1.4x. Assuming a total of $1.25 billion of CHK Utica preferred shares are purchased, investors in CHK Utica preferred shares will also receive a 3% overriding royalty interest in the first 1,500 net wells drilled on CHK Utica’s leasehold, which is the equivalent of an approximate 0.45% overriding royalty interest across Chesapeake’s projected 10,000 net well inventory. Chesapeake’s average net revenue interest on its Utica Shale leasehold is approximately 83%, which compares favorably to net revenue interests in the Haynesville, Barnett and Eagle Ford shale plays of approximately 75%.

As part of the financial transaction, Chesapeake has committed to drill a minimum of 50 net wells per year through 2016 in the CHKU AMI, up to a minimum cumulative total of 250 net wells, for the benefit of CHK Utica. Chesapeake believes it will have considerable operating and financial flexibility in fulfilling the drilling commitment because the company’s planned Utica Shale drilling program for the years ahead involves a significantly higher rig count than the approximate 10-rig drilling program required by the terms of the CHK Utica preferred shares investment.




Monday, August 1, 2011

Utica Shale - Ohio Oil Field

By Tim - http://oilshalegas.com

Utica Shale minerals rights are heating up after Chesapeake Energy (CHK) came out with news about estimates related to their acreage position. Drilling for oil in the Utica Shale Ohio area is set to ramp up towards the end of 2011 and into 2012.

Chesapeake Announces a Major New Liquids-Rich Discovery in the Utica Shale in Eastern Ohio

Having achieved successful results from recent drilling activities in eastern Ohio, Chesapeake is announcing the discovery of a major new liquids-rich play in the Utica Shale. Based on its proprietary geoscientific, petrophysical and engineering research during the past two years and the results of six horizontal and nine vertical wells it has drilled, Chesapeake believes that its industry-leading 1.25 million net leasehold acres in the Utica Shale play could be worth $15 - $20 billion in increased value to the company. Chesapeake’s dataset on the Utica Shale includes approximately 2,000 well logs, full-suite petrophysical data on approximately 200 wells, 3,200 feet of proprietary core samples from nine wells and production results from three wells. As a result of its analysis, the company believes the Utica Shale will be characterized by a western oil phase, a central wet gas phase and an eastern dry gas phase and is likely most analogous, but economically superior to, the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas.

Chesapeake is currently drilling in the Utica Shale with five operated rigs to further evaluate and develop its leasehold and anticipates increasing its rig count to eight by the end of 2011 and reaching at least a range of 16-20 rigs by year-end 2012. Also, the company believes that its leasehold position in the Utica Shale will support a drilling effort of at least 40 rigs by year-end 2014. Chesapeake is currently conducting a competitive process to monetize a portion of its Utica Shale leasehold position, which will be through an industry joint venture process or through a number of other monetization alternatives. The company anticipates completing a Utica Shale transaction in the 2011 fourth quarter.

See Also:

http://oilshalegas.com/uticashale.html

http://oilshalegas.com/eaglefordshale.html

http://oilshalegas.com/bakkenshale.html


Friday, September 3, 2010

Anadarko Petroleum (APC): Niobrara Shale update

By Andrea: http://oilshalegas.com

Anadarko Petroleum (APC) recently announced their plans for new wells in the Niobrara shale for 3Q 2010. The company described the Niobrara shale as "another emerging area". The oil-focused play is located in Northeastern Colorado and Southeaster Wyoming. Anadarko plans to drill 6 to 10 operated wells beginning in the third quarter of 2010, now that they have gleaned important information in their greater than 500,000 gross acreage position from prior farm-outs. Much of the acreage is in the land grant where they hold the mineral rights and perpetuity. Anadarko has been shooting seismic and acquiring leases that have given them a commanding acreage position that is incremental to their 550,000 acre position in the Wattenberg gield, where they have been producing in the Niobrara formation for many years.

For more shale updates, visit: http://blackberrystocks.blogspot.com

For more stock updates, visit: http://daytradingstockblog.blogspot.com



Monday, August 9, 2010

Mineral Rights: Marcellus Shale Update- Columbiana County, OH

By Andrea: http://oilshalegas.com

Between May 1 and July 31, 208 Mineral Rights leases have been obtained in Columbiana, County Ohio. This could mean the Marcellus Shale trend has extended into Ohio. Columbiana County is 1 of 10 counties in Ohio where Marcellus Shale is found. County Recorder, Craig Brown finds the surge a sudden dramatic change for the local land title companies:

"What we're seeing is not one guy coming in with one or two people, but we're seeing a dozen or 20 people coming in. It's kind of like a siege mentality that these people have right now ... Last week we had 28 people downstairs, and we only have four computers, so everybody's jockeying for position," he said.

Brown belives that the influx in interest in Ohio Marcellus Shale is trickling over from New York where a drilling Moratorium was recently imposed, forcing drillers to move elsewhere.

Read Full Story here: http://www.reviewonline.com/page/content.detail/id/529542.html?nav=5008

For more shale updates visit: http://blackberrystocks.blogspot.com

Fore more stock updates visit: http://daytradingstockblog.blogspot.com

Friday, February 27, 2009

Marcellus Shale: Lycoming, PA 2009 SWN

Today, 2/27/09, Southwestern Energy ( SWN ) has announced that they have acquired acreage through mineral rights leasing in Pennsylvania regarding the Marcellus Shale.

In the first quarter of 2009, the company purchased approximately 21,715 net acres in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, for approximately $8.2 million. As a result, Southwestern currently has approximately 137,000 net undeveloped acres in Pennsylvania under which it believes the Marcellus Shale is prospective.

http://www.swn.com/operations/new.ventures.asp

For my latest updates, visit http://blackberrystocks.blogspot.com/ or Subscribe for Free

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Utica Shale: Junex JNX 2009 Update - Natural Gas

Junex ( CVE: JNX ) has come out today, 2/24/09, and updated investors on the Utica Shale well they are drilling with partner Forest Oil ( FST ).

Forest drilled and completed the first three horizontal Utica Shale wells in Quebec's St. Lawrence Lowlands, which were successfully cased and fracture stimulated in four stages with rates ranging from 100 - 800 Mcf/d. Frac load flowback was incomplete due to the lack of coiled tubing units in the area. Forest expects to continue to test its wells after the winter season is over. Although sustained rates were not as high as anticipated, the tests have allowed Forest to identify the section of the shale it intends to target in future test wells. Each of the wells were tested in different sections of the Utica Shale with an objective of gathering data on productivity to allow optimization of future completions. Furthermore, Forest proved the ability to successfully drill the wells horizontally and pump multi-stage slickwater frac jobs without major operational issues."

"We are quite excited that our partner is perseverant in its efforts and remains committed to the Utica Shale Gas project. The three wells drilled in 2008 are the first horizontal wells to be drilled and fracture stimulated in the Utica Shale in Quebec. Considering that the Lowlands shale gas play is at its earliest stage of development, we fully expect to learn and build upon the results from these few first wells to develop the best drilling and completion recipes for the Utica Shale" said Junex's president, Mr. Jean-Yves Lavoie, P. Eng. "Furthermore, the results of the Champlain #1H horizontal well, coupled with the results of Junex's St-Augustin-de-Desmaures #1 well drilled near Quebec City last year, demonstrate the shale gas potential of Junex's 100%-held north shore acreage along the pipeline corridor between the two areas."

For my latest updates, visit http://blackberrystocks.blogspot.com/ or Subscribe for Free

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Haynesville Shale: Caddo Parish Residents Getting Nothing

More disturbing news out of the Haynesville Shale in Caddo Parish. Residents who signed mineral rights contracts aren't getting paid.

Thousands of Caddo Parish residents have cashed in on the Haynesville Shale. Greenwood property owners hoped to make big bucks off their mineral leases. But Monday, they found out they're not getting a dime.
People from Greenwood signed leases at $22,500 an acre. Monday, they learned Chesapeake Energy ( CHK ) is not funding their lease bonus drafts.

Full Article - http://arklatexhomepage.com/content/fulltext/?cid=47191

Monday, November 10, 2008

Haynesville Shale: Bossier City Resiedents Sue!

The Haynesville shale is getting interesting, Natural Gas Prices have plunged, and Developers are taking advantage of Residents.

Residents of the Bossier City neighborhood Southgate Estates are suing their developer, accusing the company of retaining their mineral rights and not including that information in the deeds.

In Louisiana, like other states, property rights and mineral rights can be purchased separately. Even after a home is sold, the seller can still retain that property's mineral rights.

Full Article - http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20081110/NEWS01/811100311/1060

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Haynesville Shale: Leasing Prices and Mineral Rights Update

As I updated my www.oilshalegas.com website each quarter, I always like to dig deep into these conference calls to see what the CEO's out there are saying. You can really get some interesting comments. The following is from Seeking Alpha from the Range Resources RRC CEO John Pinkerton on the Haynesville Shale and Mineral Rights leasing.

I think there's been a huge amount of discussion in terms of what's happened with acreage prices throughout some of these shale plays, and to me it makes absolute sense. I think when we all went on vacation in June to the beach, gas prices were $12, $13 and we were feeling all great. By the time we get our kids in school, they were less than $8 going down. So clearly what's happened is I think the industry responded in the way that you would think in that acreage prices have plummeted. I think the classic example is the Haynesville where you had complete hysteria, prices going up to $30,000 an acre for trend trend acreage which is unbelievable. I think a lot of those companies have shut down, and now you can get acreage in the Haynesville for $5,000 or less. And the same thing, not clearly that volatile, but in the Barnett, we see acreage coming down maybe as much to half or maybe even two-thirds as what it cost during the height of the land grab.

The good news is and we've gone out of our way to give you both what the cost was in 2008 so far and we continue to lease and what we got from inception, and the good news is that the Marcellus never quite hit those kinds of frothy prices. We've heard prices as high in the Marcellus as $5,000, $6,000, $7,000 an acre. We haven't paid that. We might have paid for five acres offsetting one of our drill sites, just to get somebody that was just being obstinate. But they've never really gone that high. The good news is that given the size of the Marcellus, there's still lots of acreage to pick up but we just got to be careful and we'll continue to be careful. We haven't bought any trend acreage, what we call just rank trend acreage in the Marcellus this year

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Haynesville Shale: Encana ( ECA ) 10/23/08 - Operational Update

Encana ( ECA ) has come out with their earnings report as well as their operational report including the Haynesville Shale and Horn River Shale. Operating earnings up 40 percent to $1.92 per share or $1.4 billion

Haynesville Shale: In the third quarter of 2008, we strengthened our position in the Haynesville gas resource play by acquiring 25,000 net acres, increasing ourland position to about 400,000 net acres, plus 63,000 net acres of mineral rights. We continue to see great potential in this promising shale play,"Eresman said. "EnCana, along with our partner, Shell Exploration & Production,has an industry-leading land position in this area of Louisiana. We currently have six rigs running with a focus on cost reduction and completion optimization. We will target drilling and completing the first well in themid-Bossier shale in the fourth quarter.

Horn River Shale: At HornRiver in British Columbia, EnCana and partner Apache Corporation have completed seven wells this year, with one of our most recent wells delivering encouraging results, flowing for the first 30 days at an average of almost8 MMcf/d."

Montney Shale: In northeast British Columbia and northwestern Alberta, our already strong land position in the Montney play hasexpanded to more than 700,000 acres. With that, EnCana has the largest disclosed land base in this emerging unconventional gas field.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Haynesville Shale: Leasing & Mineral Rights Problems

There is no doubt that the sudden drop in natural gas prices has had a huge impact on the Haynesville Shale formation in East Texas and Louisiana. If any of these Shale plays in the USA and Canada can overcome this type of drop it would be the Haynesville Shale and Barnett Shale.

With many companies such as Chesapeake Energy ( CHK ) and Petrohawk Energy ( HK ) cutting back on drilling and their budget, mineral rights leasing will fall as well. In fact, Landowners are nervous about what I described above. Some even fearing they won't get paid. This is why it is so important when signing a mineral rights lease that you take it seriously and hire a great lawyer to represent you.

Here is a great article about what is happening right now with regards to the land leasing from Chesapeake Energy. http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081018/NEWS01/810180357/1060

"The key is in the wording, Fitzgerald said. What she's witnessed in the past few days is Chesapeake not honoring an "agreement to lease" prepared by the company's own legal counsel. The document, which landowners she represented opted for instead of a letter of intent, states it is a binding and enforceable agreement but it is still not the actual lease."

http://oilshalegas.com

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Haynesville Shale: QBC Cubic Energy Looking to Sell 10/14/08

With crashing stock markets and energy prices....many companies are looking to get out of the shale plays lately. I had a feeling this was going to happen. It was almost like a bubble when every company and their mother was buying up mineral rights in the Haynesville Shale natural gas field.

Cubic Energy ( QBC ) announces today that due to ever increasing unsolicited interest in the Company's assets in North Louisiana, the Company has engaged RBC Richardson Barr Securities, Inc., an affiliate of Royal Bank of Canada Capital Markets ("RBC") to explore all strategic alternatives on behalf of the Company and its shareholders. The Company's asset position in Caddo and DeSoto Parishes includes the Rodessa, Pettet, Upper and Lower Hosston, Cotton Valley and the Haynesville Shale. In addition, there is significant interest in the Company's gathering and pipeline systems.

As the Company now holds substantially all of its acreage by production, and has completed its own pipelines and infrastructure, the Company is afforded the opportunity to evaluate all its options in order to increase shareholder value.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Haynesville Shale Meetings: Mineral Rights

Tonight there is a Haynesville Shale meeting. The Broadmoor Neighborhood Association meets at 7 p.m. tonight. It will take place in the gym at Broadmoor Presbyterian Church, 1915 Grover Place. A presentation of oil and gas leasing as it affects homeowners will be featured.
Caddo Tax Assessor Charles Henington Jr. will have his staff and necessary forms available for citizens age 65 or older who wish to freeze their property taxes. Additionally, Mike VanSant, who is running for city marshal, and Chester T. Kelley, who is seeking the 4th Congressional District.

The Cypress Park Area Mineral Rights Group will meet at 7 p.m, Thursday in the Benton High School gym, 6136 state Highway 3, Benton. The meeting is for landowners regarding the Haynesville Shale. Go to www.cpa-mineralrightsgroups.com to learn more.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Haynesville Shale Mineral Rights: Louisiana Attorney General warns of mineral rights scam

Louisiana Attorney General James "Buddy" Caldwell is warning landowners of a scheme aimed at stealing their mineral rights.

The scam emerged amid increasing demand for drilling leases in the Haynesville Shale, a massive natural gas find made recently in northwest Louisiana and eastern Texas.

The attorney general's office said landowners should be cautious of letters in the mail that contain a check and ask them to sign documents and return them.

"If you are a mineral owner and receive a letter in the mail, with a check included, requesting that you sign a document that appears to be a mineral lease, you should be extremely cautious because you may be permanently signing away valuable mineral rights without realizing it," Caldwell said in a consumer alert.

The attorney general said the contract might contain general power of attorney provisos that would allow the holder to amend the contract even after it's signed to reflect that all mineral assets, even those already in production."

The attorney general encourages all property owners in Louisiana to seek legal advice before signing any documents relating to the sale or lease of mineral rights," the alert said.

From Legal Newsline: Reach reporter Chris Rizo at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.
http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/215014-louisiana-ag-warns-of-mineral-rights-scam

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Barnett Shale - Chesapeake ( CHK ) record mineral rights lease

Chesapeake Energy CHK is working on a 650 acre lease on Lake Worth and Fort Worth properties located in the Barnett Shale. If this mineral rights lease deal gets done, it will be a record! Rumor has is Chesapeake is ready to pay out a $30,000 per acre signing bouns as well.

About 1,200 property owners in Boat Club Estates, Highland Lake Estates, Jinkens Heights, Crestview, Crestridge, Triangle Estates and Lakeview Estates are involved in the lease. The land is roughly bounded by Lake Worth to the west, Azle Avenue to the south, Boat Club Road to the east and Basswood Court to the north.

XTO appears to have been one of the bidders pushing this deal to a record.

Full Article Here