Vestal Landowner Group Shops for a Drilling Contract

Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin (Oct 28):
Vestal landowners offer lease plan for gas drillers

The Vestal Coaltion, a group of landowners in Broome County, NY, has created a draft lease agreement on behalf of its members and is now shopping it, looking for an energy company to sign the lease. According to the Press & Sun-Bulletin:

A coalition of Vestal landowners has a deal for you: Roughly $46 million and 20 percent royalties for mineral rights to about 8,000 acres.

A group of about 400 property owners signed a lease that would make it attractive for energy companies to do business with them, said Marty Leab, a coalition organizer. They have commissioned Dean Lowry and Llama Horizontal Drilling to find a taker in 90 days or less.

Specifically, the lease would pay landowners a minimum of $5,750 an acre, plus 20 percent royalties, for a five-year lease of mineral rights, and a three-year extension, according to a copy of the lease obtained by the Press & Sun-Bulletin.

According to the website for the Vestal Coalition, they’re still accepting new landowner members. Visit their site: www.coalitionconnection.com.

Also, this tidbit of older news from the article, but still valuable to know:

The market heated up as natural gas prices rose in spring 2007, and XTO bought mineral rights to land in the Deposit area for about $2,500 an acre. Since then, offers in the region have shot up to between $3,000 and $6,000 an acre and 20 percent royalties