I received 40 acres of land through an inheritance (or so I was told by family members and I am not sure how to verify this). It must be true because my brother inherited a portion too and he has been leasing his land to an oil company and receiving payments. The oil company reached out to me right as the pandemic was hitting and our lives turned upside down and I never followed up. A rep from the oil company sent me a lease, which I never signed. I know that they found oil on the land. What am I entitled to and how would I claim that at this point? I have no idea where to start. I don’t think this is super lucrative based on the small amounts that my brother has mentioned, but it is really hard getting people to discuss money, rights, etc., so I feel lost with this endeavor.
Start with the basics. Ask your brother for a copy of the Division Order and Lease he signed. This will provide your with initial information so you can contact the company that sends royalty checks to your brother. If you are an unleased mineral owner (UMO), then you may be in suspense or be in a before payout status. This is a starting point. Come back to the forum when you have more information.
What state is your land in?
Thank you for taking the time to help me! I will start by asking my brother. He is not physically well (over 30 surgeries since he nearly died when his pancreas burst) and has so many medical needs and related papers that I’m not sure that he will know where his forms are, but it is worth a try!
If you cannot get the information I suggested, ask him for the detail statement for his latest check. That will provide you with contact information for the company as well as the property numbers and well names. You might also post the county and State for the property so forum members can provide you with ideas on how you can research additional information.