If this has gone through an Oklahoma probate, provide the operator with copies of the order that disbursed the minerals to you an your sister and have been filed with the county land records. Also provide your W9s and your parent’s owner number assigned by that operator. If you have not yet probated the minerals in Oklahoma search “Oklahoma Mineral Probate Attorney for [County Name] County”. If this was through a trust, providing a filed trustees’ seed should work.
Most operators have a website with owner relations link. If mailing, certified mail works well.
If operator has changed:
Finding the “Missing” Operator
Since the old contact info is dead, the operator has likely changed. You can find the current company responsible for the well by using the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) Well Data Finder.
-
Search by Legal Description: You’ll need the Section, Township, and Range from your parents’ old documents.
-
Look for Form 1073: This is the “Transfer of Operator” form. It will show you exactly who took over the well and provide their current registered address and phone number.
-
Owner Relations: Once you have the new name, check their website for an “Owner Relations” or “Land Department” portal. Companies like Continental or Devon often have dedicated systems for heirs to upload documents.
Notice: Informational only. No attorney-client relationship is formed by this post. I am an Oklahoma-licensed attorney, but this is not legal advice. Do not share confidential facts in this public space.