Land and Pipeline Question

[Parks 788]

Some of you are aware, from my past posts, my wife and I will be moving to OK (wife is full Okie already) in about two years when our son graduates high school. With this, I am continually looking at properties of all sizes in all the counties surrounding Creek County.

There is one property that has caught my eye but I have a question about it. It has 160 acres and a lot of the features we are looking for with a home that is doable but would need a major remodel. Even though I was born and raised in CA I know by looking there is a sizeable pipeline cutting through the property from the NE to SW. With Google Earth you can track it right into Cushing. What I want to know is this. Is there any real downside to purchasing property with a giant pipeline going through it? What are the down-falls with it and also are there any benefits/compensation associated with this? I attached a pic of the property. You can see the North and East fence lines of the 160. Is this a steer-clear of property or not too big of a deal? The current owner has a shooting tower sitting atop a hill/rise on the pipeline open space with what looks like you could shoot a deer out to 1000+ yards or more.

FYI this property is just North of Hallett and Hwy 412

 

[SoonerP226]

Dang--I've driven by that place on more than one Memorial Day weekend. My dad was originally from Cleveland, and there are quite a few gravestones in the cemetery up there that bear my family name.

FWIW, my dad bought 80 acres near St. Louis, OK, that had a pipeline that cut across it, and it never presented any issues. Of course, he only owned it for a few years, so it didn't have much of a chance to be an issue. There was someone on here who had issues a few years back, but I think that had more to do with an access road, maintenance of said road, and a gate.

There should be an easement for the pipeline on record at the Pawnee county clerk's office that should give the particulars about it. That'd be the place to start, I think.

 

[Snattlerake]

FYI Hallett is a motorcycle and car race track. www.hallettracing.net

You're about 15 minutes from OSU also.

 

[SlugSlinger]

I would get a copy of the easement as mentioned by Sooner. This will provide the exact location of the easement and should provide language about the restrictions of using the area above and near the easement. It will also give you an idea if future pipelines or facilities might be constructed based on the width of the easement. It should also provide language about providing the pipeline company with access to the easement and any maintenance the pipeline company must complete and the extent of repairs to the easement they are liable for.

The issues I’ve seen with landowners are safety related and around the lack of making a onecall related to excavation work by the landowner around a pipeline. Landowners will want to build fences, buildings, or other structures over an easement and that is a serious safety risk due to the excavation and possibility of a pipeline strike and damaging the pipe.

 

[Poke78]

I would get a copy of the easement as mentioned by Sooner. This will provide the exact location of the easement and should provide language about the restrictions of using the area above and near the easement. It will also give you an idea if future pipelines or facilities might be constructed based on the width of the easement. It should also provide language about providing the pipeline company with access to the easement and any maintenance the pipeline company must complete and the extent of repairs to the easement they are liable for.

The issues I’ve seen with landowners are safety related and around the lack of making a onecall related to excavation work by the landowner around a pipeline. Landowners will want to build fences, buildings, or other structures over an easement and that is a serious safety risk due to the excavation and possibility of a pipeline strike and damaging the pipe.

QFT - Adding one bit of info to respond to the OP's question about compensation: the $$$ went to the owner when it was constructed and there are usually no further $$$ unless there are surface facilities that require continued access like gauge and valve installations. The deer stand is not an issue as it is not considered a permanent structure and it doesn't affect the subsurface pipeline.

 

[MacFromOK]

I'd want to know minimum depth of the pipeline. I assume it's Natural Gas?

 

[adamsredlines]

We hunt a similar property in Wisconsin with a pipeline going through it on a diagonal...the deer LOVE it.
The neighbor does too...he posts his huge "tree stand" aka tree house on the property line to watch his side of the fence, as well as my buddies side to see any coming.

I know thats not what you're asking, but its a fun little tidbit if you're a deer hunter.

 

[DRC458]

They can make wonderful locations for elevated deer blinds. Yes, damages have already been paid to the property owner at the time of construction, so it is unlikely there is any kind of 'income potential.' Whoever owns the pipeline may enter the property at any time for inspection/maintenance/repairs. If you should buy it and construct an elevated, enclosed, deer blind be sure you put a lock on it if you leave anything in there. You might just have uninvited guests inspecting it while you are away.


(ETA: I am not an attorney. If you are seriously considering this property, I would discuss that issue with an attorney.)



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[Mad Professor]

I'd want to know minimum depth of the pipeline. I assume it's Natural Gas?

Should be a crude line but it is possible that it also includes a NG pipeline in the same easement. Cushing is the belly button of the crude pipelines.

 

[HeyEng]

There can be issues, but usually not with crude and/or NG lines. I do know an attorney that stays VERY EMPLOYED dealing with easement controversies, so they do happen but most are with the high tension lines and tree cutting/etc.