Feet from north line & feet from west line

run, don't walk, from that request. that's boundary surveying in most jurisdictions.

> run, don't walk, from that request. that's boundary surveying in most jurisdictions.

That is what I was thinking.

I have a CAD file with the sections on it and could easily measure it.

I've heard that so many times, what you need is a file with the certified located monuments creating the section line: from a land surveyor.

That's always the hard part.

Monuments control, not computer files.:-(

But I think you already know that.............

Thanks.

I just emailed him back and told him that I can not provide the information he is requesting because I am not a licensed surveyor and I am not qualified to determine the location of a legal boundary.

I did plot the location he was interested in on an aerial and included the measurement from those coordinates to the county road to the north and to the west. I told him these measurements were simply the distances from the coordinates to the center of the county roads based on a measurement off the aerial and nothing more and that the section line is likely close to the road but not exactly on it and he would need a surveyor to make an exact determination.

If he just wants it "close", most of these people I work with will just wing it with a hand held, then get it better after the pit is dug, it's often not important to have it right on the offset numbers. That doesn't need an LS.

Your client will be the exception if he pays any attention to the description of what the numbers you gave him are. Most will take your distances and never consult a surveyor. Make sure you keep good records of what you provided and what those numbers represented, might be a help in avoiding liability.
jud

It's always okay....'til it's not. Chances are you could give him distances, he could do his thing, and go home. But always think about what would happen if things went wrong. Who's feet would be in the fire. That's how you can figure out if someone needs a land surveyor.

> . . . This is in Kansas and everything is township and range up there. Is he simply wanting to know the feet from the nearest section lines? . . .

Assuming his drill site is hundreds of feet from both I'm perplexed as to why he wants this information from you. You've already supplied accurate coordinates (in two datums) so he should be able to go to here in Google Earth, mark the coordinates you gave him, and measure to section lines to his heart's content. If you do it for him you're entering murky waters concerning the practice of land surveying.

I really don't either. He has lat / lon & SPC, in 27 & 83 for the point so he has everything he needs to go find it on the ground. He didn't ask me to go mark the spot or anything like that, just wanted the calls. I really don't know why he would need this info but then I don't get involved with that aspect of the industry at all. I just do my thing and tell them where I did it. I have been doing this line of work over 20 years and have never had anyone ask me for this type of info before.

I agree with the others, that's boundary surveying.

In addition to unlicensed practice, are you insured to establish boundaries?

What if something goes wrong? Are you prepared for the expensive consequences?

Those that can afford to drill oil & gas wells can afford to have an actual survey made.

They probably want to run out there and do a looksee before dropping the actual dollars for a drilling contract and all the personnel that is required.

I am not sure if it is necessary for a permit drawing to be signed by a licensed surveyor. Most of the time it is actually done by a licensed surveyor or from the information they provide.

That seems like a reasonable response if the client is a cautious person. They have enough information to go look at the site or find it on a GIS.

The danger is he could take that and go prepare a legal description for buying rights to the minerals or an easement for the drill rig location, and later find out the road wasn't even close to the section line (for whatever historical reason, maybe a mis-shapen section) so he didn't get the rights he wanted. Who gets stuck with the problem then?

Generally when I'm given info to stake a well, the client provides the calls based on distances from two section lines. For instance, I will get a location that is 330' FWL (from west line) and 2310' FNL (from north line). To this day I have not received a call that stated the aliquot portion they want the well on such as, the center of the SW/4 of the NW/4 of the NW/4. Once or twice I have been given the lat/lon of the proposed well.

Also, being a surveyor from Kansas, I would say at a minimum, 75% of all oil wells are staked by non-licensed individuals/companies, just the way it has always been done. Most of the wells I stake are because the well is closer than 330' to a property/section line and the lease will be divided amongst several land owners.

I'm not sure about you providing distances to your client. I understand that your are not licensed, but did you locate the section corners or just take a quick location at the road intersection? Whatever your distance is, just round it to the nearest 330' and call it a day. Like others have said, your client should be able to use google earth to get an approximate distance for himself.

Or, give me call and I will be more than happy to help your client out. Give me the coordinates and I'll tie it back to the corners and provide all the distances they want.:-D

He didn't ask me to go mark the spot or anything like that, just wanted the calls.

Oh? Stay away from that for sure:-(

Agree fully with JamesMeis. The experience here in Kansas is that very little true surveying is ever applied by the O&G skinflints. I won't have anything to do with them since they created LLCs. No one will pay in advance and most won't pay afterwards. Shysters!

As for oil, the guys in the far south spill more oil in a day than most of these little stripper wells will produce in five years.