There's no question, perseverance, luck, and knowledge make for a solid decision making foundation,  However, there are moving componenta that we have little, I correct myself, NO control over.

We're all trying to do the best we can at this thing called "life."

As my mom used to say, "If you have health, you have hope, and if you have hope, you have everything."

From what I've been gathering lately, it seems like most of the 'big chunks' of land have now been leased, at least in the areas that are 'highly desirable'.  They have moved on to worrying about pipeline rights. They're not going to lease any more acreage they can't develop and start the clock ticking on their 5 years.

If I were to make an educated guess, I'd say unleased parcels will start to be leased when the pipelines are down, and the company/ies are looking to actively develop/drill nearby land.

WJ, I'm not thinking 10-15 years....but 5-ish wouldn't surprise me.  When all these leases and + 2/3/5 years start running out, thats when they'll be rushing to secure them and fill out areas.

Best,
-CG

well, thats encouraging, but probably i'll still be dead and gone by then. remember, im pretty old.

nope...i might as well face the music...i missed the boat.

and still, shouldnt i take that nice young oil mans' word for this? he must know something.

wj

well, thats encouraging, but probably i'll still be dead and gone by then. remember, im pretty old.

nope...i might as well face the music...i missed the boat.

and still, shouldnt i take that nice young oil mans' word for this? he must know something.

wj

I guess you'll never see a pipeline for many, many, many years.
wax

all i gotta do is walk over the hill to see a pipeline.

wj

There's no question, perseverance, luck, and knowledge make for a solid decision making foundation,  However, there are moving componenta that we have little, I correct myself, NO control over.

We're all trying to do the best we can at this thing called "life."

As my mom used to say, "If you have health, you have hope, and if you have hope, you have everything."

You had a smart mom.

As a member of a fire company in Sullivan County, PA we are looking to lease our 2 acre parcel. We are getting too old to continue with chicken BBQ's and breakfasts just to provide volunteer services to our community. So naturally we would like the best offer we could get.The last two years i have done research on this gas business and have seen the Barnett play reach $25,000.00 an acre. Man what I would give to wake up with an offer like that, we might even be able to pay someone to wash our fire apparatus. But only a pipe dream!! We have had an offer from Chesapeake for $5750.00. Granted the rumor on our side of the mountain is that the well on Hunsinger parcel has a shale thickness of 1250 feet vs 250 feet in Troy. This is 100 years worth of gas and possible some oil too.  What to do... what to do??? The guys need to add on to the fire company to house a newly purchased used ambulance. This will be the first time our fire company has taken on this type of service and it's just going to get worse with the influx of more people and the potential for accidents. Oh some wise one please guide us to the future and help us make the right decision for our backs are counting on relief. 

If CHK is offering you $5750/ac for your 2 acres I'd say take the money and run......With only 2 acres, you obviously have nothing to worry about as far as surface disturbance is concerned.......If you are a volunteer fire company that needs cash now, then it sounds  like any (legally provided for) royalty amount would be acceptable.......If you think you can wait until the bonus offers reach $25,000/ac like in the Barnett - then be sure to let your great grandchildren know about it so they can sign the lease when the time comes.....

Only one word of caution.......An "offer" is only just that and can be (and have been) cancelled at any time.  CHK's reputation in this regard preceeds them.    Final word of advice......don't give up on the barbeques and breakfast spreads just yet.    Need a new garage for the used ambulance.....hold a "garage raising" party....solicit free or reduced rate materials from every merchant in the area you cover.....hand out flyers to all of the businesses in your area about the "big event".  Ask for volunteers to bring their own tools and machinery to help in the "raise".......ctc your local newspaper or radio station.....get some musicians out there - bluegrass is always good **ll-raising music.....Tell your community if they can't help - then DONATE - but just don't sit there and expect their fires to go out by themselves.  And if they don't want to see their loved ones being hauled off in the back of a pickup truck to the nearest hospital, then get the garage built for  "their" ambulance.    

thanks PointBlank... all very good advise. And should normally work in a normal community, but our township is about 650 give or take a few. We don't have that many businesses or people that can help. But we will keep chuggin along and see what this brings us. I like the thing about the hauling off in a pick up truck. That almost sounds realistic sometimes... Thanks again.

Within the month of May, there has been offers of $9,000 per acre, in Cadis and places near Towanda.   In Columbia Twp. there has been reports of $10,000 offered per acre. Oh Yeah it was from Chesapeake.
Make sure you get your surface agreement covered in your lease.  Don?t fall for the unlimited pooling acreage,  and please don?t find yourself responsible for ?bringing the gas to market?  this will be and has been taken out of other landowners royalties.   In the end you will receive less than you agreed to. 

in the daily review, it was reported that the vo tech school property in north towanda received a bonus of 6500 and 20% royalties. it was only 20 acres.

i wont tell anyone what is a good number to lease at or when a good time is, only to do your best to know what is going on at any time and make your decision according to your needs.

vawters' numbers in the ballpark also. in fact a few offers have been higher yet. but those are only a limited few at this point.

wj

the shale is NOT 1250 ft thick.

it should be thick but not 1250, and oil, is highly unlikely.

R at 20, if you get drilled could be 40-50k/acre over 20 yrs.

listen ,, siling here a chicken BBQ isn't bout the dough it is about community ,
fellowship!! but is is hard hard work,, been there.

For the unleased in SE Bradford County, a small parcel, under 20A might get left out but otherwise unless you are sitting on a fault, you have value. If you need the $ now ? it is different but waiting until you are needed in a unit would be better than taking 3k.

When the land man calls to ask you to lease say,,,    your intelligence gathering says values are up not down and CHK may have lowered the bid from 6 to 3,, you are now offered at 9,000.

RH

and if you are in a needed area, you get 5750 and 20%,
you just have to stand for that

Resurrecting a 15 month old dead thread .... priceless.

Thank you Ron for the Troll link.  Blue Laugh