I was sent a link this morning via Twitter to a document file (PDF) of some five pages in length...said documents was supposedly dropped in someone's driveway (in Ohio) when the Landman came to visit. There is a fierce lash-back from the Pro-Frack people about the veracity of the document, people like @knappAP on twitter (who for all purposes is defacto a LANDMAN) saying those of us opposed to the fracking of our lands, the ruination of our communities as neighbor is pitted against neighbor made it up. So, upfront, will concede one point...neither side can prove the validity of the document...BUT it does ring true based upon my own time as a grassroots environmentalist that now goes back DECADES. So, based on my own instincts, I have decided that the document passed along to me is REAL ENOUGH, I believe it was DROPPED by a LANDMAN, and that the person who found it in their driveway decided to share it with the world. So, I have decided to share some of the salient "Quotes" from the document, as it really encapsulates the spirit and mentality of the demonspawn who aspire to be a landman, it captures the essence of the Natural Gas industry, their own Moral turpitude.
Oil and Gas exploration and drilling is meeting increasing resistance from local community groups, so it is essential to contact land holders and acquire signatures before sentiment by environmental and other public organizations limits our ability to obtain access to private land for oil and gas development.
LANDMAN BEWARE this passage seems to scream out...they (the general public) are becoming aware of our GREAT CON, and the time to quickly snatch up fistfuls of signed leases with the false promise of great wealth and riches is slipping away, so HASTE is IMPERATIVE in your task. Go forth and lie, cheat, coerce and make false promises, as we need those leases on, over, through and UNDER (don't forget under) the land to access minerals, and we need them now. The good news for our side, cause for us to DOUBLE OUR EFFORTS...we are being heard, and our hard work is making it harder, MUCH HARDER for these (un)Natural Gas landmen to dupe people into signing leases.
Remember, if at all possible try not to deliberately mislead the landowner, that only makes our position harder to defend at a later date.
Lets finish that sentence...but if you have to mislead the landowner, make sure you only make ORAL PROMISES and DECLARATIONS, as we all know a contract is only as good as the paper it is written on.
Most mid-west Americans dislike confrontation. Even if they disagree on a selling point, they are unlikely to confront you over it. Therefore it is critical to obtain a lease signature in the first meeting, or at least the agreement to sign and take the lease to a notary. Drive them to the notary if you have to. If they have time to think it over, they are more likely to decline the offer.
A WORD TO THE WISE HERE...if any sales person is hard selling you, trying to get you to commit RIGHT THEN, you need to RUN AWAY, as you are about to get screwed. There is no sale, no contract that needs to be signed RIGHT NOW. Tell them you will get back to them, will call them. Then take adequate time to think about the repercussions of signing a land lease (IE...you could later become a PARTY TO LITIGATION, be found to be a RESPONSIBLE PARTY if your neighbor's land is damaged as a result of drilling on your land). Consult with an attorney, find out what your rights, and WHAT YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
Most landowners will be patriotic Americans, and will desire to free our nation from foreign oil dependence. make certain you lead with this selling point. CHINA bought more oil than the United States last year. Fear of foreign encroachment is the biggest asset we have in selling our development strategy.
Sad that a company would play upon, take advantage of our patriotism...even worse, is what they are not telling us about their own business model. Using just one company (and there are numerous examples), Chesapeake Energy" we should inform you, that all this Natural Gas that is supposed to break us of our dependence on FOREIGN OIL is actually being sold off to Foreign companies and nations...IE, just one deal that Chesapeake Energy made with CNOOC (fully owned by the Chinese Government) sold off over SIX BILLION DOLLARS worth of American National Gas...and this is JUST ONE DEAL.
ALWAYS start your conversation with a new potential signee on a point that they will agree with. This is pure psychology. They will be more likely to let you stay and talk. Studies show the longer you talk, the more chance we have of signing.
Again take NOTICE...this is a hard sell TACTIC....they want your (husband and wife) signature on that lease THAT DAY AT ALL COSTS, and have devised ways to get it...pitch the positive, and BUY TIME TO WEAR THEM DOWN.
At any point in the pitch if talk turns to local issues, environmental hazards, etc.. .a good way to re-direct the conversation is to re-engage over the nation's energy needs and the desire to be oil self-reliant. Come back to the mutually agreed upon point about freeing the nation. CHINA bought more oil than the United States last year!
Return to your MAJOR TRUMP CARD...patriotism, make it seem like the owner of the land would be UN-AMERICAN if they did not let the company rape their lands in the name of AMERICA,,,God save America, land of the FREE...stand beside me, and guide me as I sign on thee DOTTED LINE...and wrap, exit stage left with another LEASE IN HAND.
We are a small business, working closely with state governments when we set up wells. More educated landowners may know that we often sell our land leases to larger corporations.
Two points...they are being duplicitous from the start, presenting one picture when in reality they have ALREADY MADE A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL, are actually REPRESENTING A MUCH LARGER COMPANY without actually saying so...you should ask them about Gas Lease AUCTIONS FOLKS. Secondly, notice the remark, "more educated landowners" and digest that...what they are really saying, is that they see many of you as not overly smart, simply local folks, EASY PICKINGS.
Stress to the landowner that we. are primarily looking for oil resources. Searching for oil is less environmentally damaging than the claims against fracing. Oil exploration has heen conducted for centuries and is safe and effective. Do not deny that gas exploration may be possible, but do not emphasize it. Distance our selling position from the movie "Gasland". We do not want landowners linking that image with our development plans.
The old SLIGHT OF HAND TRICK...take their eye off of the real target of your desires, keep them confused, assure them you are an OIL MAN, not a GAS MAN, but make sure you tie up THE GAS RIGHTS, as that is what we really want.
If anyone knows about slick water fracturing, avoid the topic. Do riot discuss the chemicals and other material used during slick water fracturing. The strategy is to state the chemical mixtures used are proprietary and are highly diluted with water when injected. Reassure landowners that no well contamination has ever been documented. Do not mention water contamination in Pennsylvania We do not want to associate ourselves with potential ground water issues.
We all now know that WELLS HAVE BEEN POLLUTED, and SO DO THEY...yet, they continue to lie and play games. They will tell half truths...IE, "Fracking has never contaminated a well." Maybe, maybe not, but it has started the CHAIN OF EVENTS that will contaminate your well or underground drinking water source.
We covered only the first page and a half of this FIVE PAGE LANDMAN HOLY GRAIL...you get the picture. We here at Fracktoid are doing our best to give you the tools to make an intelligent choice when it comes to letting the (un)Natural Gas industry onto and under your property. Before you and your neighbors sign leases, EDUCATE YOURSELVES. Your clean drinking water, and the health of your children and their children DEPENDS ON IT.
