Hello!
I was recently offered a lease for my small inheritance in Reeves County, Abstract 341
Survey H&GN RR CO
Block 13 Section 305
This land has been in my family for nearly 120 years and I first heard about it just two weeks ago. My late grandpa had a 1/30 interest in 80 acres and it has been passed to me and my brothers. However he died in 1991 and like I said nobody even knew about it, but there is production happening.
The offer seems fair, but I’m a bit confused, because from what I understand the producing well, L49H on the property now run by Vital Energy inc, the company offering me the lease, but they are excluding this well from the offer. I have done some research and this well has been producing for a few years and In my research I found that we should be due some backpay. Would anyone more knowledgeable with this topic care to lend the new guy a hand?
Hi @James_B. Maybe our ancestors were neighbors! My family has an interest in the W/2 of Section 305. I’m guessing your family had an interest in the E/2. We never got anything on L49H because it’s in the E/2. FYI, Vital only recently came into this area - they took over operations recently from another oil company, who themselves had taken over operations in this area a few years earlier. I would tend to agree that if your relative died in 1991 then there should be royalties from the L49H well somewhere. If they weren’t informed of the death in 1991, they may have deposited the funds with the TX unclaimed property division under your relative’s name? Otherwise, you can just call or email the person who reached out to you at Vital to ask what’s going on and see what they say. Another option is to hire an independent landman or an oil and gas attorney to look into things for you. If you were comfortable giving me your relative’s name, I have an old title report from 2013 and I can see if it still lists your relative as an owner.
Hi David! I have just talked to an attorney in Huston. McAfee Land management is who contacted us in behalf of Vital Energy. My grand father name was Raymond. H. Crenshaw and J. W. Crenshaw was his father’s name. From what I understand J. W. had a 1/3 stake in 80 acres and it was divided among 10 children. I have searched Texas public records and found a few leases but they date back to 1968 and 1976. I really appreciate you responding to my call for help.
I’ll send you the document I have privately. It lists the “heirs of J.W. Crenshaw and any spouse he had” as having an interest in the South 80 acres of the East 1/2 of the section. I’m no expert, but I’m pretty sure that if the operator can lease most of the interests, they can do new development without leasing absolutely every relevant interest. It looks like the report has some deed history so you can at least find a copy of when J.W. acquired the interest originally.
James the attorney you contacted should be able to get this under control. The well could have been excluded for many reasons: the well may have been part of an old OGL and still under production, the well may have been orphaned and never plugged, or there could have been title issues related to that well. The landman and your attorney can get it resolved.
That’s ok. I have given all the info I had to an attorney. I’m still waiting for a reply from them, but I’m sure they will lead me in the best direction.
Thank again.