# Need some help on Lea County royalty interest and forced pooling

**URL:** https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/need-some-help-on-lea-county-royalty-interest-and-forced-pooling/89822
**Category:** Lea County, NM
**Created:** [October 24, 2026, 4:23pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/need-some-help-on-lea-county-royalty-interest-and-forced-pooling/89822 "2026-10-24T16:23:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Tom\_Wells](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/ce7236/32.png) [@Tom\_Wells](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/Tom_Wells)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2026, 4:23pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/need-some-help-on-lea-county-royalty-interest-and-forced-pooling/89822/1 "2026-10-24T16:23:44Z")

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Need some advice as we are very confused. More than 10 years ago, my wife and her brother inherited mineral rights in Lea County in Sections 22 and 17m. We believed these to all be ORRI. Since that time have received royalties from Conoco and very small amounts from Mewbourne. Just received 10 letters rom Holland and Hart representing MRC Permian with applications for forced pooling.

We never received any lease offers and thought the properties were under lease and that our interest was ORRIs. Now, per the letter if I understand it correctly, we can either participate as a working interest and if not will suffer a 200% penalty. These are all cases pending with the New Mexico Oil Conservation Division.

Any advice will be appreciated.

.

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### Author: ![M\_Barnes](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/user_avatar/www.mineralrightsforum.com/m_barnes/32/10942_2.png) [@M\_Barnes](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/M_Barnes)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2026, 4:58pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/need-some-help-on-lea-county-royalty-interest-and-forced-pooling/89822/2 "2026-10-24T16:58:10Z")

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Please add the complete sections, township and range. There are many 22 & 17s. Need to check the old wells to see if the ORRI expired, so need the exact location.

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Tom\_Wells](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/ce7236/32.png) [@Tom\_Wells](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/Tom_Wells)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2026, 5:53pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/need-some-help-on-lea-county-royalty-interest-and-forced-pooling/89822/3 "2026-10-24T17:53:41Z")

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Sections 22, 18S, 32E; Sec. 17 18S, 32E; and Sec 20, 18S, 32E