Excellent info. from everyone. Much appreciated. Some of the neighbors with larger acreages aren't looking into things at all. Ran into one today at lunch; he was offered $10 per acre and says if they want to pay him for "that" ground that he'll just take it. That doesn't help the cause for the rest of us.
NO IDEA what the shale characteristics are in Oregon. Maybe check with
www.pgjonline.com The folks at the geology dept at Penn State University were fabulously helpful in Pennsylvania; maybe there are some folks at Oregon State University's geology dept or in adjacent states' universities who have some familiarity with your local geology.
HOWEVER, in Pennsylvania five years ago, the initial offers were $50 or less ... and with assistance from knowledgable attorneys and other agents and helpers & competitive "bidding", they peaked around $5750 for five years, 20% no deductions.
So, theoretically, the potential is very "open" ... no telling at all at this point ... very fluid ... market forces ... supply & demand ... pipeline access ... return of manufacturing to the U.S.A. from overseas ... plastics & fertilizers, etc.
If it takes too long to construct an LNG liquefaction plant [ five years] for the export market ... then maybe manufacture plastics and chemicals and export those.