I recently learned I inherited mineral rights in Oklahoma and received the completed probate. I am trying to understand the legal description of the five parcels involved. The first parcel is defined as SE/4 SE/4 and N/2 SW/4 SE/4 and NW/4 SE/4 and E/2 NE/4 SW/4 in Section 22, Township 6 North, Range 3 West, McClain County, Oklahoma.
Here is an article that will help you understand. Essentially, read the descriptions from right to left.
S-T-R Legal Land Descriptions in OK_Kletke-1.pdf (59.7 KB)
More times than not, you will only own a percentage of the minerals under that tract. The tract acreage is a gross figure. The description above is 120 gross acres. You will own an undivided interest under the 120 acre tract.
Martha Thanks for the information. I have read this once and will have to read again before I really grasp this. I understand a section is 640 AC. Does a well usually draw from the entire section.
Todd Thanks. Let me see if I understand. SE/4 SE/4 is 40 AC in the southeast corner of the section. Is that correct. How many AC is E/2 SE4.
The SE/4 is 160.00 acres. So the E/2 of the SE/4 is 80.00 acres. The E/2 NE/4 SW/4 is 20.00 acres. Start at the right and read to the left. So the SW/4 is 160.00 acres. The NE/4 SW/4 is 40.00 acres & the E/2 NE/4 SW/4 is 20.00 acres.
Todd I got it now. When a well is drilled does it always cover the entire section or can it cover just part of the section. Thanks for all your help.
If your land is on top of a spacing unit, you would be entitled to a pro-rata share thereof. Often this may seem tiny but often can be valuable, especially in McClain County.
Can you define spacing unit for me. Is it the same as Total lease acreage that is found on the Production Unit Details.
The spacing is dependent upon the depth and pressure and fluid. Shallow oil wells can be at 40 acres or smaller spacing. Deep gas wells and horizontal wells can be 640 acres. The spacing is usually on the permit for the well.
Thanks you for all the very helpful information.
The spacing unit is determined by the OCC in order to manage the drainage from a well and prevent correlative damage to a nearby well. They did this after the “old days” of drilling rigs practically stacked on top of each other, draining the reservoirs too quickly and damaging the reservoirs and leaving millions and millions of dollars in the ground due to formation damage. Robbing Peter to pay Paul-so to speak.
Geologically, the drainage pattern can have a very convoluted shape, but for simplicity, the unit spacing shapes are generally kept rectilinear by the commission in order to follow section, quarter-section or some subunit of that. Much easier to keep track of the mineral owners who have title within the spacing units.
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