There is no standard lease form. The landman or oil company has the lease in word format and manipulates it in their favor and gives it a form title and puts it in 9-font to look ‘official’ and gives it to the mineral owner. Sometimes they add an addendum. They are based on 1960’s era leases, but updated to include newer concepts. The whole idea is for you to negotiate changes to an unfavorable form. Ask for lease in word and change font to bigger size so you can read it. At the same time, understand that your ability to negotiate more favorable terms is limited to your net mineral acreage. If you own 1/2 net acre, then you can be carried as unleased. If you own 300 net acres, then you have more power. And your own attorney or advisor can help, but you will incur costs.
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