Recently signed a lease for mineral rights in West Virginia. My mother was contacted by EQT regarding mineral rights owned by my father’s grandfather and we can only assume that the deed is still in his name. My father, his father, and grandfather are deceased and we don’t know if we should bring the deed current with her name. The lease payment came in her name. She lives in California.
Did your grandfather have a will. If so, you can do an administration of the will through the county Commission of the appropriate county in WV. If not, then you need to file an Affidavit of Death and Heirship. that will put all people on notice that the property has gone from your grandfather, father, etc. down to your mother. If EQT is paying her, you’re not in too bad of a situation.
I recently found out about the Affidavit of Heirship and will probably go that direction. I found one specifically for West Virginia. Nobody from my great grandfather down the line had wills. When Mom got the call from EQT she thought it was some scam but the landman was convincing enough to have me call him back. The paperwork showed the exact names going back to great grandfather and great grandmother, grandfather and grandmother, my father and mother, me and my brothers. We negotiated the lease and she got her first payment. It has been a pretty easy process but because Mom is 91 years old we want any future changes to be just as easy. Thank you for taking the time to respond.