I have 3 gas wells in Tyler county West Virginia. Antero has the lease, it has been 5 years and in January 2026. I have not heard anything from them about renewing. I have been getting my checks in arrears. It says in my contract they have the right to renew for 1 or 5 years. I have not heard from them, contract also says they will pay another bonus. I also have found out Antero has partial release of liens on them from I guess whomever they got the money from to drill them. Is this Standard practice when Antero drills new wells? And what about the contract extension? Thanks
A typical oil and gas lease has a primary term during which the lessee has the right to drill a well (in your case 5 years). If no well is drilled, then the lease may give the lessee an option to extend the primary term for some period of time. If well(s) are drilled during the primary term, the lease will have language that the lease continues until production ceases. Example, the lease is for 5 years, and for so long as production continues. Since you are receiving royalties, you are now in the secondary (producing) term and Antero does not have to pay a bonus to extend the lease. Antero will have the right to drill additional wells which will also count for the secondary term under the lease.