Operator title attorney, supported by curative landmen. The work gets pulled when aFE approved, rig contracted, the operator wants to spud within 60–90 days.
A deceased grantor with no recorded transfer is a hard stop until either an AOH, executor's deed, or probate is on file. Opinion examiners flag every such break.
Workflow
- Title attorney requests a runsheet covering every tract in the proposed unit
- Curative landmen identify chain breaks — most commonly probate gaps
- Landman pulls supporting records (probate file, will, AOH, executor deed)
- Where records don't exist, landman or attorney prepares new AOHs and gets them signed
- Final opinion certifies marketable title and operator can spud
Also called: drillsite title opinion · DSTO · spud title opinion · pre-drill title opinion
Related
Use case · DOTO
Division Order Title Opinion
A title opinion that establishes the decimal interest of every royalty owner.
Document
Probate
The court-supervised process of administering a deceased person's estate.
Document
Affidavit of Heirship
A sworn statement identifying the heirs of a decedent, recorded in deed records.
Closing this gap, faster.
Probate.Report indexes every probate filing, AOH, and executor's deed across our live counties — searchable by decedent, downloadable instantly, certifiable on demand.