MSUE oil and gas leasing programs educate landowners

Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) hosted two standing-room-only landowner oil and gas leasing educational programs in Cheboygan (with 250 participants) and Petoskey (with 450 participants) on June 2. Curtis Talley Jr., MSU Extension farm management educator, two senior geologists from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment (MDNRE) and one attorney answered local property owners’ questions about leasing their mineral rights to companies who want to drill for oil and gas on their land. A recent sale of oil and gas exploratory rights generated bids totaling $178 million to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund. New technology enables companies to drill deeper than before to determine the extent of oil and natural gas reserves under deep shale layers in northern Michigan. Landowners attended the programs to become educated on their options for leasing land needed to drill into these reserves.

 Educational programs were also held previously in Antrim County (with 200 participants) and Missaukee County (with 350 participants). More oil and gas lease educational programs are scheduled: Click here for details on when and where the sessions will be held and to download information on the subject. Hats off to Curtis and others who have worked quickly to adapt educational materials for this obviously important opportunity in northern Michigan!