My wife and I own mineral interests in a lease in Glasscock Co, TX. The lease I’m discussing is held by Occidental Petroleum (OXY.) There are 5 well bores in the lease; one is capped; they have been paying on the other 4, but very little production has been reported for several years, and payment is sporadic.
Recently, we received a letter from an Owl Operating company located out of Midland, TX. They claim to be the successor operator of these wells, and have sent division orders to owners so they can pay us for production. We have contacted them, and they made it clear that OXY retains the lease; they are just taking over the operating of the wells. We have not been contacted about this by OXY.
We have a friend who also holds interest in the same wells. He contacted OXY, and they claim to not know about Owl Operating. Further, they could not answer his questions about why their own revenue statements show payment on the well that is capped, but does not report payment on one of the operating wells. The GIS viewer on the TX RRC confirms that the well reported by Owl Operating as being capped, is capped, and not producing. So, unless the info appearing on the GIS viewer is inaccurate, then Owl Operating seems to have the facts straight about which well is operating; OXY does not.
This is all very curious to us and we would like to hear from anyone who has had a similar such experience, being contacted by a successor operator who is reportedly unknown to the lease holder. Also, has anyone heard of Owl Operating? What is your experience with them?