Our landman told us only about 20% of leases are actually drilled. Does that sound right?
I think the numbers can be skewed any way you want. Are we talking in any given year. If a property has been almost perpetually under lease for 20 years with possibly 5 or more leases or extensions but only drilled once? I would consider that if a landman was telling you to sign a lease because they aren't likely to drill anyway that the motive may be suspect.
At all times make sure the terms of a lease and not just bonus and royalty are terms you can live with, or don't lease.
Things aren't like in the old days where the operator plugs and abandon a well and you get your lease back, they are in the land business now and hold you and any future value of your lease by the merest whiff of gas because there may yet be profit to your lessee in assigning your lease/ minerals to someone else.
Ok, they told us that after we signed so I don't think there was a motive.