Inherited Mineral Rights

I recently inherited 1/2 undivided interest in 149 acres, described as All of the D.A. Gathings Survey 1, Scrap File 7395, Block 6. There is a lease that expires in May, 2014. As far as I know, there is no production on it.

The lease was originally with Petro-Hunt but was later conveyed to Colt Unconventional Resources and then to Resolute Natural Resources Southwest.

Does anyone know where this is located and if there is activity in that portion of the county? I frequently get offers in the mail to buy the mineral rights, but no offers to lease. What does the lease subsequently being conveyed to other companies indicate about its value? Should I seek someone to lease when this one expires, or is it likely someone will contact me?

I am uneducated in the oil and gas business and am happy to find this forum. Thanks for any help or information you can give.

Someone who knows will post here.

There are a number who understand this convoluted mess.

Jan, do you have any further information on the land description such as an abstract number? There are several D. A. Gathings surveys in Reeves. Sarah



Sarah Moran said:

Jan, do you have any further information on the land description such as an abstract number? There are several D. A. Gathings surveys in Reeves. Sarah

I have not seen an abstract number, per se. It does say the lands are described more fully in a patent dated March 29, 1949 and filed in Volume 6, Page 88 of the Patent Records of Reeves County. I found that document and it says the location is about "13 1/2 miles South 80 degrees East from Pecos." That document (patent?) is number 342. Don't know if any of that is relevant.

Jan

If it is 13 1/2 miles SE of Pecos it is in a hub of drilling activity. You may want to contact OxyUSA and Rosetta's land departments (Google them) to see if they are interested.

Thanks, Stephen.



Stephen Long said:

If it is 13 1/2 miles SE of Pecos it is in a hub of drilling activity. You may want to contact OxyUSA and Rosetta's land departments (Google them) to see if they are interested.

Jan, that abstract number for the D.A. Gatherings Survey is 1650. If you'll go to the Railroad Commission's website and pull up their map records you can look at the activity around there. The link is

http://gis2.rrc.state.tx.us/public/startit.htm .

If you haven't used it before, that link should open on their map index page and at the lower right side you'll see a space marked lease/abstract. Click there and when the next page opens put Reeves in the space for County and enter 1650 where it says "A" or abstract. Click search and that should take you to a page where you can see your tract and the existing activity around it. That Scrap file 7395 is marked on the tract.

Looks like Cimarex is in production at the east side of your property and Endeavor has production a little farther east of there. I expect you will be hearing from someone wanting to lease it again. When the current lease expires be sure to request a release from that lessee and get it recorded in the county records so people can see that it's available.

Thank you so much, Dusty, for the info and the advice. I think family members had trouble several years back because they had not gotten a release.

Dusty said:

Jan, that abstract number for the D.A. Gatherings Survey is 1650. If you'll go to the Railroad Commission's website and pull up their map records you can look at the activity around there. The link is

http://gis2.rrc.state.tx.us/public/startit.htm .

If you haven't used it before, that link should open on their map index page and at the lower right side you'll see a space marked lease/abstract. Click there and when the next page opens put Reeves in the space for County and enter 1650 where it says "A" or abstract. Click search and that should take you to a page where you can see your tract and the existing activity around it. That Scrap file 7395 is marked on the tract.

Looks like Cimarex is in production at the east side of your property and Endeavor has production a little farther east of there. I expect you will be hearing from someone wanting to lease it again. When the current lease expires be sure to request a release from that lessee and get it recorded in the county records so people can see that it's available.