My great grandmother and great grandfather lived a while in Montana (FallonCounty) in the 50's and 60's. they moved back to Norway in the mid-60's.
They sold the property but kept the mineral rights.
I found a letter my father received at the beginning of the 90s that read detailed descriptions about the location of the property.
The letter was sent by attorney Denzil R. Young (dont know if he's still around), he wrote that this could be a good potential source of income if it one day would be drilled there. (It's been confirmed that it is oil there)
The last two or three years I've read a lot of the oil boom in ND and MT, it caught my interest after reading a long articleabout the oil boom in one of the main newspapers in Norway.
And I've found out that we are talking about an area of 1084.76 gross acres.
T5N-R59 E (S 19: Ne S2, S4)
T5N-R59 E (S 19: N2NE)
T5N-R59 E (S 18: a portions of the east SE4SW4 for NT statehighway 7)
(Sectoin 30: lots1, 2,3,4 - E2W2, SWSE)
T5N-R59 E (S 30: NE4, N2SE, Sese)
T5N-R59 E (S: 31: NE 1 / 4)
I'm not entirely sure, but it seems that this is about where the Red River formation lies.
Is there anyone who can confirm whether this is true?
Pardon if there is trouble understading wht I'we written. English is not my native language.
Kristian:
Fallon County does have the Red River Formation and also the Bakken Shale. There has been several wells drilled in that area. Currently, I don't know what drilling acitvity exists as our minerals are in Roosevelt County to the North of yours. Most of the areas in Roosevelt and Richland Counties have been spaced but I really don't keep up with Fallon County. If you have further questions, you can visit the Montana Oil and Gas Commission website or call the Billings, Montana field office for assistence with the website. Our minerals in Roosevelt County was once owned by my inlaws who settled in that area from Norway. Good luck on your minerals.
Than you Mr. Mallory.
I appreciate the feedback.
I know that it was drilled 11 holes with positive results on all drilling locations and I know that the area was leased until 1994. But it was not pumped because they had not yet begun drilling horizontal.
Kristian,
I own minerals in Fallon County and follow what is going on there. Looking at your descriptions it appears your interest is outside of currently active areas. Portions of the county to the north of you have produced a considerable amount of oil for over 50 years. Portions to east of you have several more recent shallow wells producing natural gas.
While Denzel Young's letter may indicate it's "confirmed oil" is there, I can not say if that is true or not. What I can confirm is that drilling is about 10 to 12 miles east of your minerals. This has been the case for several years with no indication of the activity moving west thus far. All "Bakken" formation activity in Montana is in counties to the north of Fallon, and in North Dakota to the NE. Perhaps new activity will pick up in Fallon County some day. So I would encourage you to hold onto your Great grandparents minerals.
Though one thing you should do is make sure current contact information is on file in the county. You mentioned a lease which expired in 1994, is the address shown on the lease still a valid way to locate you? If so, you don't need to act. However if the address is not current, you may want to file a "Statement of Claim" or something to that effect to be recorded in the county courthouse.
If you need to file something here is their mailing address: "Fallon County Clerk & Recorder, P.O. Box 846, Baker, MT 59313, USA. They can confirm what type of document you should file for this purpose, what their modest charges would be, and if there is any requirement to have your document "notarized" in order for it to be recorded. Hope this is helpful, and that we both see expanded drilling activity in Fallon County.
Let's hope hope the drilling activity moves 10-12 miles west.
I ask and collect this information for my father who dont have knowledge about the use of PC and Internet.And his address is the same address as in 1980. So I dont think a new "statement of claim" is necessary.
I sent a e-mail to a man on the Montana Board of Oil and Gas. I'll post the info. I get on this thread.
Thank you for the reply. All information and answers about my post is helpful.
Kristian:
I want to emphasize the statement made by Eastern MT in that you should make SURE that you are on record at the County Clerk office in Fallon County. You made no mention of any lease offers for your minerals which leads me to believe that your records are not properly recorded at the County Clerk office.
There has not been any leas offers sice 1994.
I will take a look at that.
Thank you.
Kristian:
I definately think you need to contact the Fallon County Clerk office as you should have received some lease offers if you are on record. Again, this area has had activity and it is very possible that over the next few years, there could be increased drilling in Fallon, Richland, Roosevelt and Sheridan Counties. I don't think you should have any trouble leasing if you are interested. Do your homework and shop around.
Kristian Ekholm said:
There has not been any leas offers sice 1994.
I will take a look at that.
Thank you.
I agree with Mr. Mallory's advice to confirm your interest is shown on the record. I hope they're able to help you via e-mail that would be convenient. However, if not send them a letter.
He may also be right about being able to lease your family interests. Although, the only current leasing activity I've heard of in Fallon Co. is on the north end. I own over a thousand net acres scattered under 10,000 gross acres in the county. A couple of my interests there are not too far from your homesteads, 10 miles to the NW, 8 miles W, and 10 miles SE.
None of my Fallon Co. minerals are leased except for those already under the producing units. Admitedly I've not tried to market them as my attention has been elsewhere. Though it does indicate Landmen are not falling over themselves to lease up all available acres in that area. Mr. Mallory offers good advice that with some homework you may be able to get them leased. Though at this point I won't anticipate any great drilling activity there until and unless they start to explore new formations (outside the "Cedar Creek Anticline" which has been in production since the 1950's). The explosion of the "Bakken" formation is a good example of what can happen though there is no way to know if it will. Keep us posted as to what you learn from the county staff.
I too, have letters from this same attorney, Denzil Young. My step mother inherited Mineral Rights in Fallon county and she passed away in 2004. So, now my father has inheritied these rights. I need to know what to do to register my father's name and contact info and see if this worth any money for my father. I have read the message string above and will contact the attorney and the clerk fo the court. My father's address has changes several times since 1990 when his late wife received the paperwork. Does anyone have any other suggestions?
I think a statement of claim would be the first order of business. It would prevent your claim from expiring and at the same time place your contact information where those interested in leasing the right to produce your minerals will find it.
Kimberly,
Are you interested in possbily selling these mineral rights? If so, my company is currently acquiring in your area. Feel free to visit our website by following the link below to learn more. Thanks for your time and I look forward to your response.
http://capacity-energy.com/evaluation.html
Rodney D. Summerville, II
Capacity Energy, LLC
At this point, I am in research mode only and trying to determine what curretn values and future values are associated with the rights my father owns.
Rodney Summerville said:
Kimberly,
Are you interested in possbily selling these mineral rights? If so, my company is currently acquiring in your area. Feel free to visit our website by following the link below to learn more. Thanks for your time and I look forward to your response.
http://capacity-energy.com/evaluation.html
Rodney D. Summerville, II
Capacity Energy, LLC
I contacted the attorney who chares the office with Mr. Young.
You could call Denzil at this numb. 406-778-2406, and he can make photo copies and send by post or send you the pdf. files of all the records from your case.
You can allso contact the county clerk in fallon county Cindy Irgens either at
irgensc@falloncounty.net or 406-778-8108.
KIMBERLY VIVERETTE said:
I too, have letters from this same attorney, Denzil Young. My step mother inherited Mineral Rights in Fallon county and she passed away in 2004. So, now my father has inheritied these rights. I need to know what to do to register my father's name and contact info and see if this worth any money for my father. I have read the message string above and will contact the attorney and the clerk fo the court. My father's address has changes several times since 1990 when his late wife received the paperwork. Does anyone have any other suggestions?
Thank you so very much. I will call the attorney on Monday.