More Than 40 Years Of Excellence

Helping Farmers Benefit From Oil Leases While Protecting Their Land

As much as the Illinois oil boom should be benefiting everyone in our community, the standard lease given to farmers for the use of their land tends to be slanted in favor of the oil companies. My name is Barry Hines and as your lawyer I will help you protect your business and your property while making sure you reap all the rewards of leasing your land.

You need to be able to continue to farm your land while the oil company is producing what is underneath the soil. I will revise your lease so that it provides adequate protection from the possible damage leasing your property to an oil company can cause, including:

  • Limiting the places tank batteries can be set and field equipment can be stored on a short-term basis
  • Provision for soil restoration in the drilling area
  • Provision to ensure that soil is replaced in the order it was removed
  • Having all pipelines, electric lines and any other lines or cables run at least 38 inches underground so that you can still farm your land
  • Control over the tank batteries so you can place them at the side of a road
  • Insistence on having the road base to and from oil wells made of pea gravel
  • Insistence on cementing integrity to or beyond state standards to prevent oil or gas from escaping into the fresh water zone
  • Provision for compensation for crop damage caused by equipment, blow outs or spills
  • Provision for damage by chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process

These and other considerations will hold the oil company liable for any mistakes they make and allow you to continue growing crops during their tenure. Plus, I will negotiate for an overriding royalty in addition to the royalty afforded by the oil company.

For more information about oil leases, please call me, Barry Hines, Attorney at Law, at 217-953-4051 or contact me online.

Central Illinois Lawyer Handling Crop Damage Litigation

If you end up having a problem with the oil company, I will handle all of your litigation and negotiation to hold them to their lease as we created it. I am an aggressive litigator and will work to get the damage done to your business and property reversed or compensated.

I have been in agricultural law for the last 40 years, and I have seen the changes that have occurred because of the wealth under the soil as well as what can be gained from tilling it. I will use the law to your benefit to protect your investment.

Contact me, Barry Hines, Springfield oil leases attorney, at 217-953-4051 to schedule an appointment.