Judge to hear leasing lawsuits

In October 2008, as natural gas prices continued their freefall that began the previous July, natural gas producers and their leasing agents abruptly ceased signing mineral rights leases in Tarrant County. Many homeowners whose neighborhood groups had negotiated rich signing bonuses and favorable lease terms were nevertheless shut out of the bonanza. Now the energy firms' actions are the subject of about 20 Tarrant County lawsuits filed by three Dallas law firms known as the North Texas Lease Litigation Group on behalf of individual property owners in southwest Fort Worth and southeast Arlington. The suits contend that property owners were illegally denied the opportunity to sign lucrative leases negotiated by the neighborhood coalitions. Kip Petroff, an attorney for the litigation group, said it expects to eventually file hundreds of cases on behalf of such residents.

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Comments

[R Beck]

I agree I live on the West Side of Fort Worth. I got a measley $500 dollar bonus when everyone else got $2500 to $3000 within 60 days of my lease. When it came time for the extension I was told take it or leave it and got a nother $600.00 just one month ago. Most of my neighbors said they were not going to sign an extended lease. I have put up with trucks, lights, loud noises from a well that is less than 600 ft. from my home and can't find a sole who cares and have been kept awake at night with all the noise. So why was I not offered an amount for all those issues of it being so close to my home? I call the Railroad Commission and they tell me that well was "special". What does that mean, "special". It is located on the corner of Westpoint/Almeada and houses/parks/churches are all around. Who approved the drilling on this one? That was so wrong. Come live next to this!! Mayor or council members of Fort Worth!! Where will my vote go? Now the huge pipeline and the stopping of traffic and who wants that big pipeline so close to your home that you have worked hard for nearly 20 years? I am a concerned Westpoint Neighbor. This was just crazy!! Where was our offer of at least $7500 to put up with this? RB

[T]

These landmen are such crooks. While we are not in this Arlington area but rather west FW, we went in to sign one day, disputed the amount of acreage on our lease, went back the next day and they pulled out. Recently, we decided to take a smaller amount on a lease and I have a letter that says the draft will be paid "upon approval of title" but Striker Land Services now claims 60 banking days. Even that was a lie.