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| A Tale Of Sue Cities It Was The Best Of Offers It Was The Worst Of Offers |
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When it rains, it pours, oil and gas, that is. It must be sue season because lawsuits are popping up in
several Ohio counties of late, including Carroll and Columbiana. Landowners are suing oil companies; oil
companies are suing landowners. First it's one and then another and another. Were these lawsuit-happy
hooligans all sitting around waiting for someone to make the first move so that they could then jump in and
start suing someone, too? Maybe things do come in three's. A feast in the making for the legal beagles who
are circling the vulnerable and coaxing them into parting with their money. What the heck is going on with all
this litigation lunacy?
Lawsuits in the oil and gas industry are not uncommon. Are they anywhere? Some are warranted, most are
a waste of money and a distraction of time. The same seems to be true here from what I have been reading
and hearing out here in the field. The basis of these lawsuits stems from greed and fear. One side wants
more than what they originally agreed to; the other fears that something will be taken away from them.
The scuffle that has been shaping up over the last couple of months between landowners and oil and gas
companies involves the validity of certain oil and gas leases that have exchanged hands among several
companies over the years since they were first signed. There is contention among the two parties that there
have been breaches in oil and gas lease terms on both sides. Although several companies and individuals
have been named in these lawsuits, Chesapeake Exploration seems to be in the fray in one way or another.
One suit has been initiated by Chesapeake against a group of landowners who have apparently threatened
to cancel their oil and gas leases because of a certain clause contained therein that gives them a perceived
out and provides them with the option to accept a better deal. These landowners feel that they were tricked
into accepting the terms of their oil and gas leases way back when Anschutz had purchased most of the leases
and subsequently sold them to Chesapeake and others and these mineral owners want more money now
based on current amounts being paid.
In another lawsuit, a couple of families who own mineral rights are suing a number of oil companies, including
Chesapeake, and even a couple of Land Men who secured and notarized the leases on behalf of the oil and
gas companies. They are suing because they were paid ten dollars an acre for delay rentals and someone
else received fifteen dollars. So the suing families think that they should get the same. Well, you be the judge
on the validity of that kind of thinking.
This is so insane. Landowners are fighting the very companies who can create wealth for them. All for a
bigger piece of the pie. They are not satisfied with what they happily accepted because someone somewhere
got more than they did. And the oil and gas companies are suing the very people who have what the
companies want just because they have been threatened with lease termination. From what I know about oil
and gas companies, they make darn sure that any lease or pipeline right that they secure, whether from
another oil company or an individual landowner, is ironclad. So what are they worried about?
So here you have a bunch of laggard lawyers fighting each other on behalf of their clients over things that
will not be much better for either side when the dust finally clears. A lot of time and money will be needlessly
spent for results that do not warrant that expense. No one really wins in these situations, which can be tied
up in the courts for years. No one that is, except for you know who.
Who knows how these suits will pan out or how long they will languish within the legal system. One thing is
certain: only the legal leeches will benefit from all of this and walk away with lined pockets and Cheshire Cat
grins. How do you think I know that?
Till Next Time,
Petro Pete
several Ohio counties of late, including Carroll and Columbiana. Landowners are suing oil companies; oil
companies are suing landowners. First it's one and then another and another. Were these lawsuit-happy
hooligans all sitting around waiting for someone to make the first move so that they could then jump in and
start suing someone, too? Maybe things do come in three's. A feast in the making for the legal beagles who
are circling the vulnerable and coaxing them into parting with their money. What the heck is going on with all
this litigation lunacy?
Lawsuits in the oil and gas industry are not uncommon. Are they anywhere? Some are warranted, most are
a waste of money and a distraction of time. The same seems to be true here from what I have been reading
and hearing out here in the field. The basis of these lawsuits stems from greed and fear. One side wants
more than what they originally agreed to; the other fears that something will be taken away from them.
The scuffle that has been shaping up over the last couple of months between landowners and oil and gas
companies involves the validity of certain oil and gas leases that have exchanged hands among several
companies over the years since they were first signed. There is contention among the two parties that there
have been breaches in oil and gas lease terms on both sides. Although several companies and individuals
have been named in these lawsuits, Chesapeake Exploration seems to be in the fray in one way or another.
One suit has been initiated by Chesapeake against a group of landowners who have apparently threatened
to cancel their oil and gas leases because of a certain clause contained therein that gives them a perceived
out and provides them with the option to accept a better deal. These landowners feel that they were tricked
into accepting the terms of their oil and gas leases way back when Anschutz had purchased most of the leases
and subsequently sold them to Chesapeake and others and these mineral owners want more money now
based on current amounts being paid.
In another lawsuit, a couple of families who own mineral rights are suing a number of oil companies, including
Chesapeake, and even a couple of Land Men who secured and notarized the leases on behalf of the oil and
gas companies. They are suing because they were paid ten dollars an acre for delay rentals and someone
else received fifteen dollars. So the suing families think that they should get the same. Well, you be the judge
on the validity of that kind of thinking.
This is so insane. Landowners are fighting the very companies who can create wealth for them. All for a
bigger piece of the pie. They are not satisfied with what they happily accepted because someone somewhere
got more than they did. And the oil and gas companies are suing the very people who have what the
companies want just because they have been threatened with lease termination. From what I know about oil
and gas companies, they make darn sure that any lease or pipeline right that they secure, whether from
another oil company or an individual landowner, is ironclad. So what are they worried about?
So here you have a bunch of laggard lawyers fighting each other on behalf of their clients over things that
will not be much better for either side when the dust finally clears. A lot of time and money will be needlessly
spent for results that do not warrant that expense. No one really wins in these situations, which can be tied
up in the courts for years. No one that is, except for you know who.
Who knows how these suits will pan out or how long they will languish within the legal system. One thing is
certain: only the legal leeches will benefit from all of this and walk away with lined pockets and Cheshire Cat
grins. How do you think I know that?
Till Next Time,
Petro Pete