Revealed: Confidential Document Shows Oil Company’s

Strategy to Con Landowners into Giving up Drilling Rights

By Tara Lohan
Beaver County Blue via AlterNet.org

April 14, 2011 – AlterNet recently received a document through a tip that appears to be right out of the playbook of an oil company. The document lays out the strategy for their field agents to convince landowners to give up drilling rights — despite how risky this may be for the landowners. We’re working on verifying its authenticity, but wanted to give our readers a chance to take a look and make your own assessment. (You can read the whole document here.) We’re not sure yet if this did indeed come from a gas company, nor which one, but if so, the information sure is damning.

Called, "Talking Points for Selling Oil and Gas Lease Rights," the document begins by saying it is designed for Field Agents to outline what to say to commonly asked questions, and more importantly, how to avoid answering the hard ones. And it cautions, "Remember, if at all possible try not to deliberately mislead the landowner, that only makes our position harder to defend at a later date." Right — that gets a little less believable as you read on.

Here’s more — everything in quotes is straight out of the document.

Don’t give them time to think: "It is critical to obtain a lease signature in the first meeting, or at least the agreement to sign and take the lease to a notary. Drive them to the notary if you have to."

Continue reading Lease Tricksters: ‘Don’t Let Them Talk About Fracking’ →