Montana Oil And Gas
Attorney for Oil and Gas Litigation in Montana
Montana is one of the nation’s top oil and gas producing states. Joe Frick Law, PLLC has the experience and knowledge to represent you and handle any of your oil and gas legal needs. Whether you need a title opinion, title curative, or oil and gas litigation, we can handle it. We represent oil and gas companies as well as individuals throughout Montana, including the following areas:
- Billings, MT
- Sidney, MT
- Miles City, MT
- Butte, MT
- Bozeman, MT
- Richland County, MT
- Roosevelt County, MT
- Dawson County, MT
- Wibaux County, MT
- Sheridan County, MT
Oil and Gas Title Opinions
Oil and Gas Title opinions are prepared for the purpose of determining ownership of the oil and gas underlying a particular tract of land, identifying any title defects that may appear in an owners’ chain of title, suggesting curative measures that will clear up said title defects, as well as identifying surface ownership if the mineral estate has been severed from the surface estate. There are different types of title opinions for different purposes. Drilling title opinions should be prepared prior to beginning operations to ensure that all owners are accounted for, identify any issues that may hinder or impede operations, and ensure compliance with all land use and zoning laws. Division order title opinions may be obtained after a particular well has begun producing. If you in the process of obtaining a mineral interest, or maybe certain drilling spacing units, you may require to have an acquisition title opinion prepared and all existing title defects cured prior to purchase.
The process of preparing an oil and gas title opinion begins with examination of the records relating to the particular tract of land that is being considered. Some of the records that are examined include the patent to the land when ownership left the federal government and became vested in a private individual, deeds and probates recorded in the county records, and possibly court records if there is an indication that there have been disputes relating to the tract of land. In some situations, there are unrecorded documents that are examined if the client has copies of said documents. Additional records must be examined if there are state or federal tracts of land being considered within the tract of land being examined.
Title Curative
As discussed above, title opinions are prepared prior to and during oil and gas operations on a specific tract of land. The title opinions identify any title defects that may appear in a chain of title. They also suggest curative measures/procedures that must be taken in order to clear up the title defects.
In Montana, like most oil and gas producing states, the oil and gas company has the right to suspend any payments to royalty owners, or any interest owner, if there is a title defect within your chain of title. You must take affirmative action to clear up the defects before the company must pay out. The curative measures that must be taken are different in each case. But, there are some typical issues that arise in curing title defects.
First, it is very typical that a title defect exists due to a missing probate. This happens for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to, a predecessor in interest simply did not have their estate probated after they passed away, or your predecessor in interest did not reside in the state and had their estate probated in another state without having an ancillary probate conducted in the state where the oil and gas interest is. In order to get the title defect cured, a probate proceeding in the state of Montana must be conducted.
Second, strangers to title appear in your chain of title. This may be caused by the missing probate situation. In that case, the deceased’s successor in interest conveys an interest in the property to a third party. However, since the deceased’s interest was not probated, there is no evidence in the county records indicating that the new owner is vested with that interest; creating a link in the chain of title. To clear up that issue, a probate proceeding must be conducted in the state of Montana. There are numerous other ways that a stranger to title may appear in your chain of title. However, we have the capability to clear up the chain of title in order to get your interest in “pay status.”
Clearing up your issue may be as simple as conducting a probate proceeding within the state. However, the title defect may be extremely complicated and require an extensive procedure such as a quiet title action to defeat competing claims. In any event, the team at Joe Frick Law has the knowledge and capability to assist you in clearing up your title so that you can resume receiving the royalty payments that you are entitled to.
Oil and Gas Litigation
Litigation often occurs in during the production of oil and gas. This may occur between the royalty owner and the operator or the between the operator and other working interest owners. Joe Frick Law, PLLC has the capability to assist you in the following litigation matters:
- Quiet Title Proceedings
- Litigation before the Bureau of Land Management
- Litigation or appeals before the Interior Board of Land Appeals
- Royalty disputes
- Lease Disputes
- Eminent Domain
- Area of Mutual Interest disputes
- Joint operating interest disputes
- Non-operating interest owner disputes
- Pooling and production spacing unit disputes
- Trespass Claims
- Any other oil and gas litigation that may occur during the production of oil and gas
Contact Montana’s Oil and Gas Attorney
Although Joe Frick Law, PLLC is located in Montana and Idaho, we have the capability to assist you in your oil and gas legal needs throughout Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, or Kansas. We have the experience and knowledge to assist you no matter what your oil and gas issue is or wherever you are located. Contact us today to consult with an experienced oil and gas lawyer.
Attorney for Oil and Gas Litigation in Montana
Montana is one of the nation’s top oil and gas producing states. Joe Frick Law, PLLC has the experience and knowledge to represent you and handle any of your oil and gas legal needs. Whether you need a title opinion, title curative, or oil and gas litigation, we can handle it. We represent oil and gas companies as well as individuals throughout Montana, including the following areas:
- Billings, MT
- Sidney, MT
- Miles City, MT
- Butte, MT
- Bozeman, MT
- Richland County, MT
- Roosevelt County, MT
- Dawson County, MT
- Wibaux County, MT
- Sheridan County, MT
Oil and Gas Title Opinions
Oil and Gas Title opinions are prepared for the purpose of determining ownership of the oil and gas underlying a particular tract of land, identifying any title defects that may appear in an owners’ chain of title, suggesting curative measures that will clear up said title defects, as well as identifying surface ownership if the mineral estate has been severed from the surface estate. There are different types of title opinions for different purposes. Drilling title opinions should be prepared prior to beginning operations to ensure that all owners are accounted for, identify any issues that may hinder or impede operations, and ensure compliance with all land use and zoning laws. Division order title opinions may be obtained after a particular well has begun producing. If you in the process of obtaining a mineral interest, or maybe certain drilling spacing units, you may require to have an acquisition title opinion prepared and all existing title defects cured prior to purchase.
The process of preparing an oil and gas title opinion begins with examination of the records relating to the particular tract of land that is being considered. Some of the records that are examined include the patent to the land when ownership left the federal government and became vested in a private individual, deeds and probates recorded in the county records, and possibly court records if there is an indication that there have been disputes relating to the tract of land. In some situations, there are unrecorded documents that are examined if the client has copies of said documents. Additional records must be examined if there are state or federal tracts of land being considered within the tract of land being examined.
Title Curative
As discussed above, title opinions are prepared prior to and during oil and gas operations on a specific tract of land. The title opinions identify any title defects that may appear in a chain of title. They also suggest curative measures/procedures that must be taken in order to clear up the title defects.
In Montana, like most oil and gas producing states, the oil and gas company has the right to suspend any payments to royalty owners, or any interest owner, if there is a title defect within your chain of title. You must take affirmative action to clear up the defects before the company must pay out. The curative measures that must be taken are different in each case. But, there are some typical issues that arise in curing title defects.
First, it is very typical that a title defect exists due to a missing probate. This happens for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to, a predecessor in interest simply did not have their estate probated after they passed away, or your predecessor in interest did not reside in the state and had their estate probated in another state without having an ancillary probate conducted in the state where the oil and gas interest is. In order to get the title defect cured, a probate proceeding in the state of Montana must be conducted.
Second, strangers to title appear in your chain of title. This may be caused by the missing probate situation. In that case, the deceased’s successor in interest conveys an interest in the property to a third party. However, since the deceased’s interest was not probated, there is no evidence in the county records indicating that the new owner is vested with that interest; creating a link in the chain of title. To clear up that issue, a probate proceeding must be conducted in the state of Montana. There are numerous other ways that a stranger to title may appear in your chain of title. However, we have the capability to clear up the chain of title in order to get your interest in “pay status.”
Clearing up your issue may be as simple as conducting a probate proceeding within the state. However, the title defect may be extremely complicated and require an extensive procedure such as a quiet title action to defeat competing claims. In any event, the team at Joe Frick Law has the knowledge and capability to assist you in clearing up your title so that you can resume receiving the royalty payments that you are entitled to.
Oil and Gas Litigation
Litigation often occurs in during the production of oil and gas. This may occur between the royalty owner and the operator or the between the operator and other working interest owners. Joe Frick Law, PLLC has the capability to assist you in the following litigation matters:
- Quiet Title Proceedings
- Litigation before the Bureau of Land Management
- Litigation or appeals before the Interior Board of Land Appeals
- Royalty disputes
- Lease Disputes
- Eminent Domain
- Area of Mutual Interest disputes
- Joint operating interest disputes
- Non-operating interest owner disputes
- Pooling and production spacing unit disputes
- Trespass Claims
- Any other oil and gas litigation that may occur during the production of oil and gas
Contact Montana’s Oil and Gas Attorney
Although Joe Frick Law, PLLC is located in Montana and Idaho, we have the capability to assist you in your oil and gas legal needs throughout Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, or Kansas. We have the experience and knowledge to assist you no matter what your oil and gas issue is or wherever you are located. Contact us today to consult with an experienced oil and gas lawyer.
Attorney for Oil and Gas Litigation in Montana
Montana is one of the nation’s top oil and gas producing states. Joe Frick Law, PLLC has the experience and knowledge to represent you and handle any of your oil and gas legal needs. Whether you need a title opinion, title curative, or oil and gas litigation, we can handle it. We represent oil and gas companies as well as individuals throughout Montana, including the following areas:
- Billings, MT
- Sidney, MT
- Miles City, MT
- Butte, MT
- Bozeman, MT
- Richland County, MT
- Roosevelt County, MT
- Dawson County, MT
- Wibaux County, MT
- Sheridan County, MT
Oil and Gas Title Opinions
Oil and Gas Title opinions are prepared for the purpose of determining ownership of the oil and gas underlying a particular tract of land, identifying any title defects that may appear in an owners’ chain of title, suggesting curative measures that will clear up said title defects, as well as identifying surface ownership if the mineral estate has been severed from the surface estate. There are different types of title opinions for different purposes. Drilling title opinions should be prepared prior to beginning operations to ensure that all owners are accounted for, identify any issues that may hinder or impede operations, and ensure compliance with all land use and zoning laws. Division order title opinions may be obtained after a particular well has begun producing. If you in the process of obtaining a mineral interest, or maybe certain drilling spacing units, you may require to have an acquisition title opinion prepared and all existing title defects cured prior to purchase.
The process of preparing an oil and gas title opinion begins with examination of the records relating to the particular tract of land that is being considered. Some of the records that are examined include the patent to the land when ownership left the federal government and became vested in a private individual, deeds and probates recorded in the county records, and possibly court records if there is an indication that there have been disputes relating to the tract of land. In some situations, there are unrecorded documents that are examined if the client has copies of said documents. Additional records must be examined if there are state or federal tracts of land being considered within the tract of land being examined.
Title Curative
As discussed above, title opinions are prepared prior to and during oil and gas operations on a specific tract of land. The title opinions identify any title defects that may appear in a chain of title. They also suggest curative measures/procedures that must be taken in order to clear up the title defects.
In Montana, like most oil and gas producing states, the oil and gas company has the right to suspend any payments to royalty owners, or any interest owner, if there is a title defect within your chain of title. You must take affirmative action to clear up the defects before the company must pay out. The curative measures that must be taken are different in each case. But, there are some typical issues that arise in curing title defects.
First, it is very typical that a title defect exists due to a missing probate. This happens for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to, a predecessor in interest simply did not have their estate probated after they passed away, or your predecessor in interest did not reside in the state and had their estate probated in another state without having an ancillary probate conducted in the state where the oil and gas interest is. In order to get the title defect cured, a probate proceeding in the state of Montana must be conducted.
Second, strangers to title appear in your chain of title. This may be caused by the missing probate situation. In that case, the deceased’s successor in interest conveys an interest in the property to a third party. However, since the deceased’s interest was not probated, there is no evidence in the county records indicating that the new owner is vested with that interest; creating a link in the chain of title. To clear up that issue, a probate proceeding must be conducted in the state of Montana. There are numerous other ways that a stranger to title may appear in your chain of title. However, we have the capability to clear up the chain of title in order to get your interest in “pay status.”
Clearing up your issue may be as simple as conducting a probate proceeding within the state. However, the title defect may be extremely complicated and require an extensive procedure such as a quiet title action to defeat competing claims. In any event, the team at Joe Frick Law has the knowledge and capability to assist you in clearing up your title so that you can resume receiving the royalty payments that you are entitled to.
Oil and Gas Litigation
Litigation often occurs in during the production of oil and gas. This may occur between the royalty owner and the operator or the between the operator and other working interest owners. Joe Frick Law, PLLC has the capability to assist you in the following litigation matters:
- Quiet Title Proceedings
- Litigation before the Bureau of Land Management
- Litigation or appeals before the Interior Board of Land Appeals
- Royalty disputes
- Lease Disputes
- Eminent Domain
- Area of Mutual Interest disputes
- Joint operating interest disputes
- Non-operating interest owner disputes
- Pooling and production spacing unit disputes
- Trespass Claims
- Any other oil and gas litigation that may occur during the production of oil and gas
Contact Montana’s Oil and Gas Attorney
Although Joe Frick Law, PLLC is located in Montana and Idaho, we have the capability to assist you in your oil and gas legal needs throughout Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, or Kansas. We have the experience and knowledge to assist you no matter what your oil and gas issue is or wherever you are located. Contact us today to consult with an experienced oil and gas lawyer.
