Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I know this post is really old, but I have been trying to read all posts on the mineral rights topic to determine what the deal is. I have to say that I am not any less confused after reading the posts and some of the links. I am hearing a couple of take-home points. First, do the research on the land/title and maybe have a lawyer look over everything. Second, talk to local people who can give more info about the history. Third, try, if possible, to determine who has the rights. For some reason, I still can't quite get it into my head, though, about the realities of all of this. So if we buy a piece of land and we don't own mineral rights, the gas company can come in, purchase a right of way, make a road, put in a well, and that's that? And we can't say no, right? What if they decide they want another well? And what about coal? I have seen coal mining and it is ugly. How does that work? Can we get around it by building a house somewhere towards the middle of a property- maybe a 30-40 acre piece, and build outbuildings in a fashion that it wouldn't really be feasible for them to build a well? I guess I am wondering how often this is happening. Are there people out there living on 30-40 acre parcels that will never be bothered, or are any and all parcels that are sitting on top of gas/coal being explored? Is it possible for us to find land in W.Virginia and just live in peace with our house and garden and trees and not have to deal with people on and off our land that we don't really want to be there?
I know this post is really old, but I have been trying to read all posts on the mineral rights topic to determine what the deal is. I have to say that I am not any less confused after reading the posts and some of the links. I am hearing a couple of take-home points. First, do the research on the land/title and maybe have a lawyer look over everything. Second, talk to local people who can give more info about the history. Third, try, if possible, to determine who has the rights. For some reason, I still can't quite get it into my head, though, about the realities of all of this. So if we buy a piece of land and we don't own mineral rights, the gas company can come in, purchase a right of way, make a road, put in a well, and that's that? And we can't say no, right? What if they decide they want another well? And what about coal? I have seen coal mining and it is ugly. How does that work? Can we get around it by building a house somewhere towards the middle of a property- maybe a 30-40 acre piece, and build outbuildings in a fashion that it wouldn't really be feasible for them to build a well? I guess I am wondering how often this is happening. Are there people out there living on 30-40 acre parcels that will never be bothered, or are any and all parcels that are sitting on top of gas/coal being explored? Is it possible for us to find land in W.Virginia and just live in peace with our house and garden and trees and not have to deal with people on and off our land that we don't really want to be there?
Don't know the answers.
Do know relatives recently entered into an agreement (they own their mineral rights, are selling the gas on their property, getting free gas for life (that is what they said) and a neighbor of their's also has a pipe on her property and selling the gas. A drill rig was set up on neighbor's property for a short time now there is just pipes underground.
We have never owned the property rights on any of our houses but have never really worried about it. Of course, we have been in subdivisions not on a lot of acreage so figured no one would be doing anything disruptive in our neighborhood..
Sometimes the well may last for years ahead and sometimes it is on it's last legs. There are no guaruntees. My Mom has free gas and has everything gas including dryer,hot water tank etc. Her well is only a few years old. I have a farm listed that has unlimited because it was never metered so they have even gas refrigerators...If free gas ever runs out you have to change orifices over to work with propane.
I happen to be one of those lucky people that has free gas . I own 73 acres & there is a gas well a couple hundred feet from my home . They have another site surveyed & will be drilling 1 more well on my property . My father-in-law ownes the mineral rights under my property & leased the gas rights to a drilling company . He receives a nice royalty check every month for the gas the well produces & I get free gas . I haven't had any problems at all with the gas company . They do have a well tender that stops by the well once or twice a week & makes sure the well is producing properly & everything is ok .
My furnace is gas as is my water heater , clothes dryer & range . Needless to say my electric bill is very low . I wouldn't have bought this property if it wasn't for the free gas . You can buy generators that run off natural gas & you'll never be without electricity . A decent well will produce 40 or 50 years . The one on my property is about 10 years old & a good producer & like I said they are going to drill 1 more on my property so I should never have to worry about running out . For me it's a win , win situation .
I spent a bit writing a reply only to get some error message and it's gone. Soooo, I'll write it again. I believe what i said was, first of all, thanks. I have seen nothing but friendly advice and genuine helpfullness on this forum, which is more than I can say for much of my Alaska experience! I think waht it all comes down to and what I am hearing is that we need to come and look around, be informed about the area, know who we are buying from, who owns the rights to the minerals, what is happening on the land, and get everything in writing!
WE are getting excited to get on the road and looking forward to warmer weather. Thanks everyone for all your help!
What if the well is drilled into the Marsellas Shale and had a production life potential of about 500 years.
With a head pressure of 200,000 lbs, that billions of dollars...all given up in one single generation by an ancestor who got 'gas for life.
I've known people who negotiated free gas when they sold their mineral rights. In one case, they actually lit their front yard with the stuff and let the light burn 24 hours a day. They wasted the stuff and didn't care. I can see taking the free gas, but there is something inherently wrong with waste.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Thanks!
I spent a bit writing a reply only to get some error message and it's gone. Soooo, I'll write it again. I believe what i said was, first of all, thanks. I have seen nothing but friendly advice and genuine helpfullness on this forum, which is more than I can say for much of my Alaska experience! I think waht it all comes down to and what I am hearing is that we need to come and look around, be informed about the area, know who we are buying from, who owns the rights to the minerals, what is happening on the land, and get everything in writing! 
