We own mineral rites in Stark county, T137North-range97 West section 9 all, Dawson county T16 North, range 51 East, M.P.M. section 26: N one half and SE one fourth, and Dawson county T15 North, range 52 East M.P.M. section 12: W one half SE one fourth, Lots 3 and 4, and the SW one fourth. We signed a contract and mailed it back to Blanca Peak Energy. A few days later they mailed us a letter and said they were not interested any more. That was the last we heard from them. We would like to advertise to lease our minerals. Does any one know where to go to do this? Also, how do I find our net mineral acres? We are new to this and do not know how to even get started. Any information or suggestions are very welcome. Thank you, Gail Rael
You can list your mineral rights in the listinings section of this website (At the bottom of the home page.)
www.listmineralrights.com also has a free listing service.
Finding out your net acres can be a very long process. You have to go the county clerkâs office in the county that the minerals are located in and examine every conveyance that has ever taken place for the land and find out who/when the mineral rights were reserved and how they passed from person to person. If there is a good title company in the county, they might do a mineral check for you, but most won't. You could hire a Landman to run your title, but that would be expensive.
Gail:
Question.....if you signed a "contract", do you mean lease in regards to the dealings with Blanca Peak Energy? If this was a lease, the net mineral acres should be stated on the paperwork, usually in a cover letter. As Myranda stated, your title can be run at the County Clerks office for an exact amount of net minerals on record. Another way to market your minerals is to learn what company's are leasing in your immediate area. You can check with your neighbors or go to the North Dakota Industrial Commission website and click on "related links" then click on the Mineral Mangement to see what companies have leased during the past few State Auctions. Just find your County and the nearest Sections to your area. This site will state what amt/acre was paid as well as the name of the company.
Also, if you did not get a cover letter that told you what your net acres are, you might try to contact the landman that you originally spoke with and ask if he/she knows your net acres or has any of the title information on your property. The landman may very well blow you off or refuse to release that information, but may not.
I would provide this type of information to someone in your situation as long as they were cordial and respectful when they called me.
Gail,
If this was a lease did they return that signed lease to you? If not, then while you are at the county clerk's office you need to check if that lease has been filed.
If you are wondering why you need to see if it has been filed do a search in the "Search Mineral Rights Forum" box for 'cold draft' and I don't mean beer.
Hope your leasing efforts pay off with big royalty checks for a long time.
Myranda:
Wilson has an excellent point in that you need to make sure this lease broker or whomever did not record this lease at the County Clerks Office. Do as he says and read up on "cold drafting". If you are victim of this illegal practice, get an attorney immediately (one based in the area) and get the problem resolved as the broker could turn around and flip the lease to an oil company. Good luck and hope this isn't the case.