I work with my family to manage our family mineral rights that my great grandfather started. My mother has done the mineral management for several years and is now asking that I take it over. I have found that we have several leases MISSING and not available to us as they were signed by my great grandfather and my grandparents and my mom didn't get copies at the time.
What are some of the best sources, besides the courthouses and title companies which require extensive travel and $$, for finding old and current leasing information on mineral properties in Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico? I'm looking for information on the leases that were fully executed and at what terms.
Many Thanks for sharing your experiences.
M. D. Wood
Your best bet might be to hire what’s called a “landman” - they specialize in mineral rights and finding titles on leases. Where are your Texas leases located?
Your best bet is to find a landman you know or has a good reputation. They can find current lease info easily. As far as old leases, that would be through the county. But since most leases are 3 to 5 years, they could just be history.
Dear Ms Wood,
I do the same as you for my family, We still have the same problems as you, even with US Trust managing my Grandfather and Grandmother's Mineral Leases. My mom used to tell me if I asked the right questions that US Trust which is part of Bank America would be happy to help me. Well Maam, I am still searching for the right questions after 30 years. I will tell you that I found $9000 in royalties from Texas Unclaimed Funds for my Grandmother that had been sitting there since 1979. I suggest you look at the Unclaimed funds in each of the states your Granddad had business in. While the majority of GF and GM stuff was listed on their wills, we are now getting calls from oil companies about leasing land, we didn't know about. The Latest being 80 net acres in Roosevelt County New Mexico. So while you would like to find all of your GD leases, without spending money on a Land man, Attorney or going to the court houses yourself to look through the Mineral deeds for your GD Leases. You could just wait till they come to you. We have some 5000 acres in West Texas that has not been leased, some never, but the Bank does a poor job of marketing, so I on behalf of my cousins I have been on a 30 year conguest to get these last minerals least and drilled. Recently I found a company that is interested in leasing all the minerals in Ector and Crane Counties in Texas, but of course I told the Land man he would have to deal with US Trust at Bank America. Now I just pray that the Bank will do as it is supposed to do. I don't particularly think Trusts are the way to go, when leaving money to your kids, but that is just my opinion.
Continued Success in finding all that your looking for.
Sincerely,
Chris Wilson