Barnett Shale

SW Fort Worth group says Chesapeake submits high offer

Fort Worth Neighbors Negotiating Group, representing home homeowners in the Garden Springs, Hulen Meadows, Parkwood East and Parkwood Estates neighborhoods in southwest Fort Worth, reports that Chesapeake Energy has submitted what would be the richest lease offer to date for residential properties if it is completed.

Chesapeake, subject to negotiating an agreeable lease form, has offered $18,250 per acre and a 27.25 percent royalty to unleased property owners in the area, roughly bounded by Sycamore School Road on the north, Risinger Road on the south, McCart on the east and South Hulen Street on the west.

Potestas Corp. hit those neighborhoods last year with relatively low lease offers but still signed up "quite a few people," says Deryl Logan, a member of the Fort Worth Neighbors negotiating committee. He estimates about 400 homeowners are participating in his group's efforts. He said Paloma Resources and Potestas are still talking to the group but he expects Chesapeake to stay on top. Logan can be reached at deryllogan@yahoo.com.

-- Jim Fuquay

4 Southwest Fort Worth neighborhoods form negotiating group

Residents in the Southwest Fort Worth neighborhoods of Hulen Meadows, Garden Springs, Parkwood East and Parkwood Estates have formed a new negotiating group to deal with drillers in the area, which include Dale, Paloma, Potestas and a new entrant, Llano Corp.

One of the leaders of the effort, Deryl Logan, said none of the neighborhoods have formal neighborhood associations, so organizers instead decided to simply create a negotiating group made of up area residents. He's encouraging residents not to sign a lease until the group can offer a lease modeled after leases in Tanglewood, Mistletoe Heights and other Fort Worth neighborhoods. He said there are about 1,700 to 1,800 households in the neighborhoods. For more information, contact Logan at deryllogan@yahoo.com, or 817-905-6084.

-- Jim