When you lease 2 acres for a well location, isn’t that “effectively” selling the surface for 15± years? What is it worth to sell an acre of land in Pawnee Co?
The legal requirement is the lease agreement will remain in force as long as the well is productive. But after all drilling applications (i.e. slush pond, finished fence, drilling processes cleaned and removed) have been addressed the land was to be restored as agreed. Now not only do I have an eye sore also a hay field that is non-productive, if NGR is not following thru with the intent of the contract I want to reclaim the land. So that is why I am beginning to ask questions and see what is the best direction to take. Of course I would rather they drill and any luck see royalties from production but if that is not financially feasible I don't want the land to be left in the condition it presently is.
If no well is drilled, I would suspect they will have until the lease expires and they would then need to begin restoration. It's hopeful they will sell before lease expiration & the next operator will drill on the already built pad. The new owner will effectively assume the liability of the location already on your property, if they sell.
But, to my original question. what are surface acres currently selling for in Pawnee Co?
NIck;
I really can't answer that question because I haven't been involved with or know of anyone that actually sold property, everyone I know has "surface leased" for drilling (which runs around 600 an acre). I agree and understand the surface lease considering length of time but that all leads back to the "intent" of agreement; I don't want to find out two years from now I should have done something about it when they decided to pull out. So that is my quandary.