I am a newbie to this forum and may have quite a few questions going forward. First (hopefully) is the simple one:
How do I find the production history of a well? I have the API number and PUN. There is a post from 2020 with a link to oktap.tax.ok.gov that supposedly provides this information for a fee. However, using the link, I only see production history for 2022. I do not see a link to obtain production history for previous years.
The well is 95 years old. I inherited a portion of the rights to it and another well in 2020. But I did not know about this particular well. Last year, the producer sent a lump sum payment (non-trivial) for 5+ years of production to the deceased. I contacted them and provided the appropriate paperwork to transfer the royalties to all of the heirs (including me.) I am trying to figure out if the well produced anything prior to that. Estate records show that absolutely nothing was received after 1980.
Yes, the link only gives the last 12 months of production.
Here are a couple of other places to look. You could try
the Form300 images or e-mail the OCC (instruction images attached)
Also, there are pay services that may have the data back
further than 1 year, or you could consult with a person who
subscribes to a pay service.
Typically there is a statute of limitations that limits how far
back royalties have to be paid. It is different in each state.
More than one Harper well. JJ Harper was sold to Columbus oil in 2000. It has been online with production data available sine 1970. At 2-5bbls day average, don’t expect too much.
So, why would royalties not be paid since at least 1980 and then suddenly start?
Do you suggest Form 300 to get the production data since 1970 - or some other means?
I spoke with the company paying the royalties and asked who else they are paying royalties to. The told me that they pay to the owners, which match the county records. But they cannot provide the names because their attorneys charge “large sums of money” to provide the names. They referred me to the county. That sounded… Fishy.
Correct on more than one well. James Harper 1 and James Harper 2 were both plugged shortly after they were drilled. JJ Harper 1 is the well in question.
