My Grandmother passed away a few years back. She verbally told me that she wanted me to have her mineral oil and gas leases and royalties. They started out in Tx. Where she was a resident until death. BP oil had them and then some oil company in Louisiana bought them. I am needing to locate the oil company and the parish that they are in. I’m needing a change of ownership from my deceased Grandmother’s name and address to mine so that I can receive mineral Royalty checks owed to me , Dividends and interest and present and future checks sent to me. Please help me with this matter. Thank you! Rachelle from Kansas
Boy. Do you have a task ahead of you. I’m living this RIGHT NOW !
If there is a probated will AND you are listed in the will, then your uphill battle is already 1/2 over. If it’s NOT listed, you’ll need to 1st prove who you are in relation to the deceased and have ALL paper work that shows you are legit. (that’s a hard lengthy part that I’m in right now). You will have to prove/send to the gas/oil company all of their required/requested paperwork. That will take a few months to clear up. THEY ARE NOT IN A RUSH 
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the other 1/2 of the problem is finding the gas leases. I don’t know how to find gas leases in Louisiana.
I can only suggest going through as much of your grandmothers paperwork to find the gas/oil companies letter/paystubs and start there.
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My gas lease problem is from the late 1800’s and I’m looking for descendants of the names in the Will.
The gas lease is active and Exxon has 2 active gas wells accumulating royalties. The royalties are being held in the county clerk’s office and I can’t get my share released even though I’ve proven my “Heirship”.
Apparently, by law, I have to find EVERYONE 
Lord help us 
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I’ve been working on a similar situation since March. Do you know the county where your grandmother lived and passed? Some Texas counties have a self-search portal that you can use for free - if she ever signed a lease or similar document that was recorded in that county, you might be able to find enough there to get you started.
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Without a probated will, the minerals will pass under the state intestacy laws for state where real property is located. If there are living children (your parents or aunts or uncles) or other grandchildren, then they will also likely inherit. A verbal statement is not sufficient to overcome intestacy laws. These laws vary from state to state.
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You can start searching for the Texas ones using www.texasfile.com using her name and the mineral search option.
You can also hunt through the missing money at the TX state treasurer’s office. You will have to prove that you are an heir. There may be other heirs as stated above. Verbal promises are insufficient.
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Check the Texas Unclaimed Property fund with all names your grandmother may have been known by (maiden, married). If her holdings are “in pay” there should be funds showing there and that will give you an idea of the value of pursuing the issue. Their information will also allow you to determine the names of Oil and Gas producers who are escheating funds. Internet search will allow you to find company addresses. Check the county in which your grandmother passed to see if a will was probated and to obtain a copy.
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Thank you, but the oil well leases ended up in Louisiana. So I’m currently trying to locate their exact location and legal description
The advice that min4me still applies. Check the unclaimed property fund in Louisiana and the state where your grandmother lived.
It would be a good idea to find out all the details before you ALERT, call or mail the company. If you have checks coming cash the things! The idea is to get the money that is only legally yours. Have your “act” together and your “ducks” in order BEFORE you contact them. You have to know and be able to prove what is yours.
Keep in mind that funds are not escheated to an unclaimed property fund based on where the oil and gas leases are located. Funds are escheated based on the last known address for the owner. If leases have been producing for any length of time, funds will have been escheated to the state unclaimed property fund where the owner last resided (as far as the production company knows). Checking the unclaimed property funds in any state where the person may have had an address and for any permutation of their name (maiden, marriage 1, etc) will provide you access to past earnings much easier than contacting production companies. Once you have successfully claimed funds from unclaimed property you now have proof that a production company has/had the relative in pay. If they are still on the pay list, you only have to prove you are a rightful heir.
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Just because a company in LA bought the leases I am guessing, does not transfer the minerals from Texas to Louisiana, unless the minerals she owned in were in fact in Louisiana…
And, I will add, I always say, if your mom, grandmother etc want you to have something put it in writing or it will be subject to Probate court or intestate succession laws.
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I have a probated will. My grandmother appointed me Executor for those mineral rights. The only thing I have is the description of where the mineral rights are located at in Montana. I know where physically where they are located too but I don’t know where to go from that. I contacted BLM and they said there was no cases there but what does that mean. I am really struggling.
My grandfather had a lease on those rights around 1990 and it was for 30 years. I don’t know if my grandmother changed it over to her name or it is still in my Grandfather’s name.
The advice of cashing checks where there is no legal authority to receive the funds has many potential problems. Even if there has been a probate proceeding, funds need to be issued to the proper party.
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