Pat, sadly I wasn’t in a position to participate in several wells. I have since participated in one and it’s going fine. My operator for the non-consent wells is not sending me payout reports. We may have to audit some wells, thankfully we have a trained Forensic CPA in the family. That same operator has drilled more wells and NOT sent me AFEs for them after I participated in the first well. I personally don’t mind getting a chance to look at the well’s production before I decide if I want to participate or not; they are only hurting themselves. So far, for the well I did participate in, I have received an additional bill, a tiny amount for salt water disposal.
My non-consent wells have actually not been at the top of my things to do list because I have been concentrating on our lawsuit against Diamond Resources which has now been settled by them having to secure releases of lease from Continental Resources and Burlington Resources for our mineral acres.
I wanted the leases voided, to get back to square one. I believe they cheated themselves by not wanting the leases voided and providing instead a backdated release, to save their good name, such as it is.
Because there was a valid lease when the wells were drilled and we never received AFEs, I don’t believe we owe them for the drilling of those wells. It will be nice not to have to participate in those wells and yet be owners.