A landman wants to lease your minerals. Here's what you're actually agreeing to.
Whether it's a fresh lease offer, a top-lease on an existing agreement, or a division order that showed up with no explanation, the terms you sign now can lock in your royalty rate and your say over your minerals for years. Know what's negotiable before you respond.
What you actually own — and what's on the table
As a mineral owner, you own the oil, gas, and other minerals beneath your land — separately from whoever owns the surface. That gives you the right to lease those minerals for development, and to be paid for it. A lease offer is the start of a negotiation, not a form you're required to sign as written.
Commonly negotiated terms:
- Bonus payment (the upfront $/acre)
- Royalty rate (your % of production value)
- Primary term length & renewal options
- Pooling & unitization clauses
- Shut-in royalty provisions
- Surface use during drilling & production
Common landman tactics with mineral owners
Lowball bonus, high urgency
An opening offer below the going rate for your area, paired with a deadline meant to stop you from comparing it to anything.
Vague or missing pooling language
Broad pooling clauses that let the operator combine your tract with others — diluting your royalty share — without clearly explaining what that means for you.
Division order pressure
A division order sent with instructions to sign quickly, sometimes listing a decimal interest that doesn't match what you actually own.
Verbal royalty promises
A verbal assurance of a better rate or bonus that conveniently never makes it into the written lease you're asked to sign.
What we do for mineral owners
Review your lease or offer
Send us your lease, top-lease offer, or division order. We break down the bonus, royalty, term, and pooling language in plain terms.
Get your talking points
We flag any below-market or unusual terms and give you specific questions and counter-points to raise with the landman.
Negotiate with confidence
You respond knowing what's standard for your area, what's negotiable, and what to watch for before you sign.
Ready to understand your offer?
Send us your lease, offer, or division order — most reviews start within a few minutes.