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Why FHOA

NOTE FROM FHOA PRESIDENT, DAVID SPEIRS:

On November 25, 2020, Alberta Premier Kenney declared a public health emergency in response to the 2nd wave of COVID-19 cases in the Province.  FHOA’s staff have been working from home with only occasional trips into the office since the first wave of COVID-19 struck back in March.  We will continue to do so until the Premier’s declaration is lifted.  Although we will be monitoring and responding to e-mails during this period, responses to telephone queries will be delayed.

We thank those members who recently donated to our legal fund in support of FHOA members’ November 16, 2020 Court appearance as set forth in our October, 2020 newsletter.  Madam Justice Dario reserved judgment, but we hope to be able to report on her ruling at the December 12, 2020 AGM and Seminar.

FHOA is currently seeking member support for new consent forms as set forth to our November, 2020 newsletter.

Please stay safe.

Freehold mineral owners generally lack the technical and legal experience needed to deal with the energy companies that lease and sometimes develop their subsurface resources.

But freeholders are not just vulnerable in their dealings with energy companies; this vulnerability extends to their dealings with industry regulators, governments and the courts.

In recent years, freeholders’ vulnerability has been exacerbated by technological changes.  Advances in multi-stage hydraulic fracturing of horizontal wells has unleashed huge new supplies of gas and oil from shales – rocks previously thought to be mostly unproductive.  This ‘Shale Revolution’ is largely responsible for ongoing low natural gas prices in Western Canada.  Concurrently, environmental concerns have forestalled pipeline construction and negatively impacted Canadian oil prices.  Low and uncertain future oil and gas prices have lead to widespread energy company insolvencies.  The provincial governments of the prairie provinces have responded to these circumstances with changes to their Crown royalty regimes which minimize Crown royalties, place freehold mineral owners at a distinct competitive disadvantage  and sometimes result in drainage of freeholders’ mineral rights.

Becoming a member of the Freehold Owners Association or FHOA opens up access to a wide array of information, support and services, to help freeholders understand and protect their mineral rights in these challenging times.

Freeholders are not ‘lucky’ to own subsurface oil and gas rights. Our forefathers broke the land in harsh circumstances at the turn of the 20th century and earned the right to the minerals which we have inherited.

It is time we spoke with a common voice to protect our heritage!

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What FHOA
Can Do For You

FHOA’s principle objective is to promote fairer treatment for freehold mineral owners like you.

To meet our objective, FHOA:

  • Provides information, education and services to help freehold owners protect their valuable resources
  • Researches issues of concern to freeholders
  • Promotes fairer treatment for all freehold owners by acting as a common voice for freeholders and bringing the legitimate concerns of freehold owners to the attention of the oil and gas industry, industry regulators, governments and the general public, and by advocating reasonable resolutions to these concerns

The information, education and services we offer help freehold owners simplify complex issues like taxation, estate planning, leases, options, royalty statements and other aspects effecting freehold ownership. Do you know what to do when the landman comes to your door? As a member of FHOA, you will be well equipped with information and armed with confidence and education, knowing what to ask and how to manage the process of leasing your mineral rights.

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About FHOA

The Freehold Owners Association was organized in October of 1999, in an attempt to level the playing field between freeholders and the oil and gas companies that lease our oil and gas interests.

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FHOA is a federally-incorporated, not-for-profit corporation currently registered to operate in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

A volunteer board of directors governs the activities of the Freehold Owners Association. The board of directors are elected by FHOA members at our Annual General Meeting. The board consists primarily of ordinary citizens who own freehold oil or gas interests, but also includes members of the legal community and oil and gas industry professions who are concerned with maintaining fairness in society while still championing the fundamental principles of free enterprise.

  • We wish to thank FHOA, with special recognition to David Speirs, for the information /assistance he gave to us regarding the energy sector. His knowledge of Freehold Owner leases was particularly helpful to us as novices when we became Freehold owners over a decade ago.

    Garold and Yvonne Miller

  • I am eternally grateful for what I have learned through FHOA and their Board of Directors. Because of FHOA, our family can safeguard our mineral rights for future generations, and we have enhanced our lease negotiation skills as a collaborative family unit. The expertise and dedication of FHOA directors has supported our efforts in every aspect of mineral ownership.

    Joan Olafson

  • Our mineral rights have been passed down for generations. We joined FHOA in 2007 to help us understand an agreement with an oil company. FHOA was so helpful, providing suggestions were able to take the company and have adjustments made to our lease agreement. The information provided on the website, by FHOA representatives and at FHOA meetings helped us better understand lease provisions. If we had to sign another lease, I would have FHOA help again. Because of this value, we continue to be a member year after year.

    Jackie Anderson

  • Freehold Owner’s Association (“FHOA”) has a wide variety of information with access to various expertise for freehold mineral owners like me, who do not have the technical and legal expertise, nor the financial capability to do it on their own.

    Bill Schmidt

  • Our family is very thankful for FHOA. They made it possible to force a major oil producer to pay legitimate royalties owed to all five family members for off-set drilling beside our mineral rights.

    Betty Frey

Membership Benefits

Becoming a FHOA member opens access to a wide range of services, information and benefits:

  • learn what's the going rate in your area

  • post your mineral rights

  • help the industry find you

  • purchase technical service reports*

  • recovery and evaluation services*

  • obtain a copy of the Freehold Friendly Lease

  • important resources & articles

  • and much more...

*Additional fees may apply

Annual Membership
only $75!

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Questions About Mineral Rights

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Understand the rights you own, inherited, or want to leave to your children

Questions About Leases

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FHOA helps you understand ownership, myths, negotiations, the going rate and more...

Membership FAQ

  • What can FHOA do for me?

    Members have access to the members section of this website to view information about a multitude of issues effecting freehold owners. We help you to understand the terms and conditions in your existing lease or in leases or option to lease agreements which may be offered to you. FHOA also helps members understand:

    • Offset obligations and how to protect your mineral rights from drainage
    • Oil and gas regulations and how they impact you property rights
    • Pooling agreements, unitization agreements and gross royalty trust agreements
    • Structuring your estate when passing mineral rights to family members

     
    FHOA provides referrals to experienced industry professionals who can assist in lease negotiations, lease enforcement, estate planning, etc. If you have specific legal questions, we can refer you to the lawyers on FHOA’s board of directors who can provide a half hour of complimentary legal advice or opinion. FHOA also represent members’ interests and the interests of other freeholders in submissions to governments, industry regulators and the courts.

    For an additional modest fee, FHOA also provides technical service reports, evaluation services, royalty recovery services, and a freehold friendly lease.

  • How do I contact FHOA?

    FHOA can be contacted by phone during normal business hours (403 245-4438), but we encourage the use of out contact us form.

  • Why should I join FHOA?

    Our mandate is to provide information and education to freehold owners, to research issues of concern to freeholders and to act as a common voice for the freehold owner community in bringing the legitimate concerns of the freehold owner community to the attention of the energy industry, industry regulators and the governments.

    FHOA is a not-for-profit organization directed and managed by volunteers. Our principle source of funding is membership fees and donations. By joining FHOA, you help support our continued efforts to provide our members access to the information as noted above as well as provide access to technical information about the wells on and in the vicinity of your mineral rights. We can also review member lease agreements to determine if the terms are being honoured or to help the member understand what is being offered. Members also receive referrals to competent professionals to assist with mineral rights and negotiations.

    If a member has mineral rights that are not leased and wishes to lease or sell (FHOA does not recommend that freeholders sell their mineral rights except under exceptional circumstances) we can assist in making the industry aware of the member’s wishes. We can also help members determine the best way to pass their mineral rights on to their children and determine the fair market value of the minerals as is typically required for estate plans.

  • What does it cost to belong to FHOA?

    FHOA’s Board of Directors sets the Association’s membership fees. Annual membership fees are currently seventy-five dollars ($75.00). A two-year membership is also available for one hundred and forty dollars ($140.00).

  • How do I join FHOA?

    The easiest way to join FHOA is by clicking on the JOIN FHOA button on this site or here. You can also print off a membership application and mail it in with your payment by Cheque or Money Order, Visa or Mastercard. You can also call the office at 403-245-4438 to register and pay by credit card.

  • What can I do to support FHOA and its goals?

    Become a member. Get involved. If you have particular skills or training which could help FHOA attain its goals, let us know. FHOA always needs volunteers to assist with seminars and to help with phone outs before seminars. If you have time constraints, make a financial donation to assist us in paying for judicial and regulatory hearings.

    Spread the word. The more members that FHOA has, the greater our potential influence. Many freeholders who could use our help, particularly those who do not use the internet, remain unaware of FHOA’s existence.

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Events

FHOA AGM

Location: Virtual Only

Date: TBD

Time: TBD

Sign Up to Attend FHOA  Annual General Meeting planned for Fall 2023.

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