Quail ranch complex off the ground

-RPQRR, present and future-

The new headquarters for the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch is now a standing structure. On the south side of US180, just across the road from the current site, the framing and walls for the new buildings can be seen coming up out of the prairie.

Originally, according to the RPQRR newsletter, the complex was going to include a research center, an education center, a lodge and kitchen, and a guest cabin. A more current article in the Lone Star Outdoor Newsletter cites three new buildings: a research lab, an education center, and a guest lodge; totaling 6,400 square feet of new working space.

RPQRR has been operating since 2006. Dale Rollins, executive director since the beginning, has changed roles to outreach director. Brad Kubecka, a protege of Rollins, is the new ED.

Another thing about Larry

Speaking of Larry McMurtry, as I was, the Wichita Falls Times Record News and The Dallas Morning News have ran articles about an upcoming get-together in Archer City to honor him. This coming weekend, Saturday Oct 9, writers are going to show up and talk about him, then the movie The Last Picture Show will be shown outdoors. It looks like all this will occur in or around the Royal movie theater, across from the court house in Thalia. I mean, Archer City. I'm not sure if the writer's deal is for the public, but it looks like the movie will be, and free to boot. A one-of-a-kind event, not to be missed. Lecture at 7 pm, movie to follow, around 9:15 pm.

Fisher and Nolan county tax sales tomorrow Oct 5

Perdue Brandon has lists of properties that are going on the block for unpaid taxes tomorrow. The Fisher county sale is scheduled for 10 a.m. and the Nolan county sale is set for 2 p.m. The sales will be held on the courthouse steps of the relevant county.

Texas Communities Group has many ongoing auctions, including some for Anson, Hamlin and Sweetwater. Be sure to click on the Live Auction tab for separate listings.

Thinking about Larry

- A few of my books-

I was reading a book the other day, and one of the characters said, "I'll give you one piece of advice about the oil business, the one you're going to be running starting tomorrow, and that's return your phone calls. Don't put it off and don't skip any, even if you think the person you're supposed to call is an asshole or a flake."

That's a good rule of thumb in everyday life, too. I've had high-falutin' people drop the ball, like lawyers and realtors, and it's shameful. I won't do business with people who don't call back.

Larry McMurty wrote the above lines in his book Duane's Depressed, when Duane hands over his oil business to his son, Dickie.

I drove through McMurtry's home town of Archer City the other day, hoping to shop in his bookstore Booked Up. It's on the courthouse square, but was closed that day. From what I've read on the interweb, since his death it has been managed by his store partner, Khristal Collins.The website featured some of the same books I have (see photo, just a part of my collection), and that made me proud.

At a glance, the town looked like what Roby and Rotan might look like put together. I couldn't figure out where Sam the Lion's pool hall would have been, but I was just passing through and had to be on my way. 

Summer, oil and catching up

- Sunrise & sheets -

Hello, all! I took a little hiatus, trying to figure out how to get rid of the spammers. "You won't believe this, just scratch!". Hey, weirdos, get off of my cloud!

 It's that time in summer when the heat lets up and I start daydreaming about fall, but then another few weeks of oppressing temperatures and wind from hell will kick in before the lovely Texas autumn truly comes to stay. I guess I better enjoy these nice, dewy mornings while we've got 'em and quit complaining.

There ended up being one drilling lease permitted for Fisher County in July, according to the Railroad Commission. Canyonlands 61 60, operated by Browning Oil Company, has the permit listed on County Road 320, east of Hobbs. It looks like the site, for a horizontal well with a total depth of 7500, common for this area, will be on Farm to Market 1614, somewhere in the area across from the Williams house. Shoot, it could be up and running for all I know. I haven't driven that way in a while.

While only one permit is on the RRC site, the county records tell another story. Fast and furious leasing is going on in Fisher and Scurry Counties, and a lot of it by my operator, Moriah, aka MEI, aka Henry, aka Lone Oak, aka etc., etc. It seems all these companies have a multitude of partners. 

My poor little Ashley lease is sitting up there in weeds with dried up water pits. I've been made offers by the operator, and also Resource Acquisition Management, the company handling the leasing, to buy my minerals in the last couple of months. You all know how offended I am when people offer to buy my minerals, if you've read my past posts. Just drill already or leave me alone! It's the only investment I've got.

I was looking up some records yesterday and came across a sweet little site called Scurry Self Service, where you can look up all kinds of Scurry County records. I like Texas File, but the records are a month behind, while Scurry Self Service is more up to date. Between these two sites, the county assessor sites and RRC, I can have myself a nice little search party! 

West Texas Intermediate, or WTI, has been hanging in there around $42.  Here's crossing fingers and toes that it will stay steady.

No changes, no permits

Fisher county ended June with no new drilling permits. Scurry county had four. Three were on the Sacroc Unit, one was Strawberry 87 that was mentioned in an earlier post.

West Texas Intermediate is still hanging around $39. Some producers (mine) are saying oilfield development will be delayed six to eight months.

Force Majeure, anybody?

- Dusty sunrise -

Okay, remember the letter I got a few weeks ago? Well, today I got another one, from my landman, notifying me that they are claiming a force majeure extension of my current lease, without pay, due to current events (aka Act of God; circumstances beyond our control,etc.).

What I found interesting was that it was not all the property, as was mentioned in the previous letter. The parameters of the producers interest has become more clear to me by their expression of exactly where they want to implement the force majeure clause. I think I came out with a better deal by them doing it this way.

I've gotta say, if I never hear the words "in these trying times",  "the new normal" or yet another explanation of how many feet I am supposed to stand from other people, it will be too soon.  No one is blaming anything on Mexico or the bossa nova, anymore. The COVID is taking all the heat.

Leasing activity still going on in county

West Texas Intermediate opened at $39.12 this evening, and, despite the lull of drilling permits in Fisher county, there's still a lot of leasing activity going on, according to the May 2020 county records.

It looks like Peregrine, Moriah and others have been adding amendments and correcting existing leases, while Magnus Resources and a new player, Orange Dutch, LLC, out of Midland, have been making new ones. Weathervane Management and Permico have been purchasing mineral deeds.

Peregrine has a new drilling permit, in Scurry county. It's for an injection well, the Strawberry 87. That's the only June permit that has been issued in that county. Fisher has none, so far.

Check out Texas File for in-depth information about mineral activities.

The thing about the messenger

I think maybe the messenger isn't so innocent.

When tv stations allow scam commercials, some featuring the likes of Tom Selleck, Alex Trebek and Joe Namath, people I used to to respect (but, who cares!), to air, aren't they complicit in the crime? I mean, to me, the station is endorsing the product by airing it, and especially because they're taking money for it!

And in newspapers and magazines, all those scammy ads in the classifieds; do they approve of the message by printing it? Aren't they supposed to want to be known as factual purveyors of the truth? Do I have to mince through copy and decide for myself what warrants believability and what is chaff?

How about the postal service? Anyone can mail anything to my house, even bilkers from Sweden who want me to send them $35 to tell me the meaning of my magic number. The postal service wants us to trust them, but, again, it's up to me to figure out which mail is junk and which is from a legitimate source.

I know I have to watch out for myself, but it would be so helpful if "trusted sources" would weed out some of the sinners that try to fleece the unwitting.

I have to walk the line in life, but these shysters are making money on defrauding people, in plain sight.

Another thing, when anyone, any show, on ABC claims they are more watched, that's true, but just because it's the only station that everyone can get, digital, antennae or streaming. It really skews the curve, David Muir. You want me to believe you're the number one trusted newscaster, but when you shape facts to fit your box, you have not gained my confidence.

Phew! I just had to say all that. Now, on to facebook to start an argument about anything.

Hello, sucker!

- Summer mimosa -

The headline is a quote used by Texas Guinan, a famous 1920's New York speakeasy hostess, who was born in Waco, Texas, to greet customers visiting her establishment.  I had never heard of her until yesterday, after I read about her in a book I picked up at the Sweetwater Goodwill, The American Heritage History of the 20's and 30's.

Another interesting find was Pointie Talkie, a little 5" x 4" x 1/4" book. According to the China-Burma-India Theater website, it is an interpretation guide issued to United States Army Air Force personnel during World War II in case they were downed over China. English phrases are printed on one side, with the corresponding Chinese printed next to it.

Alright, now that I've dived into the 20's, 30's and 40's, lets come back to the present. I check the Railroad Commission drilling permit website daily, and Fisher county had been stuck at 294 pages for quite awhile. I was looking forward to getting to 295. Then, this week, it had suddenly jumped to 299. I was pretty excited, but I couldn't see any new permits issued. I'm still looking for the reason for the increase. Maybe an update in the way the permits are listed changed the number.

I received a letter from my landman this week asking me to extend my mineral rights leases by a year, without extra pay, to help them catch up on development delays caused by the last three months disasters. Maybe he should have opened the letter with Guinan's catch phrase.

The photo today is of the mimosa tree in my back yard. It smells so good in the still of the morning and attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. It's pretty messy, too, with dead blooms clinging to clothes on the line and covering the ground like bits of old, pink cotton. I'll take it, though, for the pleasure of its shade and sweet scent.