Do you have a statement in writing from Pioneer? Verbal conversations can be confusing because you and the landman may be thinking about different questions. You need to look at your lease. Does it cover all depths? If so, does it have a provision that depths below the deepest depth drilled or the producing formation expire? Then you need to trace the history of assignments of your lease, from the original lessee forward to Pioneer and any other companies. For example, the original lessee was X. X drills a well to 7,500 feet. Then X assigns the shallow rights (surface to 8,000 feet) to Y and the deep rights (below 8,000 feet) to A. Y assigns to D and D assigns to Pioneer. Then Pioneer only owns the lease to 8,000 feet. You have to trace the successors to A to see who owns the lease below 8,000 feet. It is not uncommon for older leases to be splintered among many different companies, by both depths and acreage. RRC does not have any concern about your lease. It watches to see if a well permit is issued to 7,800 feet and the well is drilled to only 7,500 feet and that is approved. If the well is drilled to 9,000 feet, then RRC will take action because of violation of the permit.