Question…I am a royalty owner in Texas in a section of land that has some leases on it. I have been sent a ratification that some owners in a different section of land want to pool and do a directional well that goes from their land to where I have the RI. It sounds like a horizontal well but it is not for some reason. Those owners have not authorized pooling for their lease that is wanting to do this. I do not think I have to authorize this but your input is helpful. It seems like I should have a lease that I am already part of pool to that area vs a totally seperate lease that is just trying to access oil.
Normally a ratification is sent by an operator with respect to planned well operations. You need to review the ratification and cover letter and make sure you understand the proposal before signing and agreeing. More specific information about the existing unit and proposed well(s), operator and sections and county are needed for you to get responses.
What type of interest do you own? Are you a mineral owner under a lease or do you own an NRPI with a need to act to be included?
Thank you. In reviewing the leases that want me to pool my Royalty Interest (I am not a mineral owner) I am not part of their section of land and they have not authorized pooling in the lease. The lease wants to drill and then access where I have Royalty Interest so they want me to allow pooling. I have other leases in my section where I own RI, and there are a couple other operators that could pool as well.
You need to see the planned path of the well along with the other documents. Here is an example of a family that was asked to pool in the South half of the NE4 of a section. The blue well is a horizontal well, but could be shorter and a lesser angle and be directional. The owners in the rest of the section needed the spacing to be changed to 640 acres because the new well was going to be a gas well. They asked for a ratification from the owners in the green part to change their lease from 160 acre pooling option (red) to 640 (black). That was reasonable.
Would be wise to contact an attorney before signing.
