Greetings from Alaska. I'm a new guy here hoping to learn how to tell if my minerals [natural gas] are being harvested legally without royalties being paid to me. Up here, the little that I've found out] if my land [9.55 acres] is within 3,000 feet of a well I'm to receive notice, which I did.
Being a litigant in the Exxon Valdez oil spill, I felt ill when I was offered $300.00 for a signing bonus to harvest 100% what is mine by law [100% mineral rights ownership]. July 2014 a new gas well went into production 2,975 feet from my property line and I'm being told I'm not entitled to royalties but ALOT of interest has been placed on me to sign the company contract. Alaska, only being 50 years old as a state has no case law and I don't have any money to start it.
As an Exxon litigate, finding help from skilled lawyers was easy, and they all agree that the land man screwed up Big Time and serious money could be owed me. It's the retainer that is my problem so I am here to hopefully learn as much as I can about how I, as a landowner, can enforce my mineral rights.
The well is 2,975 feet away with the bore ending another 1,000 feet or so away from there, Southwest of my property. As I explain it, if you have a pond there is a marsh around it. If you pump from the pond the marsh dries up, I am the marsh. In Exxon it was ruled that corporations have individual rights. That does not give you the individual right to move your chicken factory next door then come over and steal my chickens for your profit.
I'll not get into the murder that an oil spill can do to a small town but I've learned to NEVER trust an oil company. Anything that anyone cares to share is more than I know at this time and I Thank You for your help.