ok it's been over a year since my received a bonus check and has heard nothing since,should we be worried is there something that we can do to get more info about what is really going on.here land is in nordeheim texas. any help would be apprectiated.
Betty,
Check your lease. I doubt if you will find any requirement for the lessee to tell you anything. The lessee may not have the obligation to tell you if the lease has been transferred. All the lessee did was make a promise to pay a royalty maybe, someday, and with many many conditions if your lease is a "standard" lease. About all you can do is check with the Railroad Commission for activity in your specific area or contact Clint Liles on MRF with your specific land description. he keeps tabs on several Texas Counties.
I would not be worried at all. The well associated with my Lease took over two years to get drilled. Unless the Primary Term specified is shorter than two years, then you can probably expect about the same. Even when things were going gangbusters in the Barnett Shale, it took an average of thirteen months for my client at that time to get all the permits and title done and move a rig on site. So don't sweat it!
Yes and this is normal these days. You may also be in the "dry gas" zone of the Eagleford and if that is the case natural gas prices are going to need to improve before much drilling activity takes place. I have had the same experience in the Barnett in Hill County. One way to keep informed of activity on any future leases is to have a provision in your lease requiring written notification by the Lessee of any transfer or sale of your minerals, in part or whole, to any other entity and the identifying of that Operator. Another suggestion is to get familiar with TRRC web site online query links. There you may find new drilling permits in your area and a good GIS map of activity where you can find production data from nearby wells.