I have a general question about finding a trustworthy oil and gas attorney.
I bought 27.8 NMA of mineral rights from a friend a year ago which included an active lease for 3 years plus a 2 year option. The landman who my friend leased through has informed me that the OG company, Betsy Production Co, is unlikely to exercise the 2 year option once the primary term expires next month. (They have not drilled.)
I understand that a new lease is not guaranteed in the future, but I wanted to ask for advice on finding a trustworthy OG attorney to help negotiate a new lease if one is offered some day. In my imagination, OG companies operating in small town Arkansas will have much better relationships with the OG attorneys there than I will. How can I know that an attorney near my mineral interest will work for my best interest and not the interest of companies they’ve probably dealt with through the years? Look for an attorney elsewhere? Am I operating on ignorant assumptions here?
Thank you all for your advice and diligence that so many benefit from through this site. Nick
It can be challenging to find a good attorney. Ask around to friends and neighbors. You can try finding an oil and gas attorney through the bar association website or an internet search for an oil and gas attorney in your state. Most attorneys will be glad to talk with you for free for about 15 minutes or so. You can explain what you need (not a treatise on your whole situation) and ask if they have a conflict of interest with Company X and if they do, could they recommend someone else. The attorney does not have to be in the same county as the minerals, but they do need to be licensed in the state where the minerals are. Make a list of your questions ahead of time so that you use your 15 minutes wisely asking about their expertise, their fee structure, their experience in mineral friendly oil and gas leases, etc.
Thank you for this advice Ms. Barnes. I will be sure to make a list of questions to ask before meeting with an attorney (from somewhere else).
If it’s okay to ask in this thread, I was also wondering if there’s a way for me to know if my minerals are on a fault line or anything like that. I’ve read that being on one can be problematic re production. Just trying to learn as much about the property to set realistic expectations. Thank you as always, Nick
You can observe qualified professionals (often with localized expertise) who provide services to mineral owners right here on The Mineral Rights Forum. You will notice them in 3 different places on the site:
You could go to the geological society of your state or the internet to look for published maps of the faults in your area. Faults can be quite complex and just because a fault is at one level, it may not be at another level where it would make a difference. Faults are not inherently negative. It just depends upon their angle, the throw, the pressure difference on both sides, the size, etc. Not every fault is known or mapped to date, so impossible to have all the information.
Your situation is not unusual. You need an attorney whose practice is primarily royalty and non operating working interest owners. I suggest you ask any attorney you interview their client profile for oil and gas. Also, as you imply, the oil and gas community is tight and, particularly in a small community, most of the parties are well known. Ask your friends and neighbors their thoughts and recommendations. Best wishes.