Owner FAQs

Royalties represent interests retained by lessors under an oil, natural gas and mineral lease. Funds are payable on these interests based upon the value of a percentage of the minerals produced from the lease.

Royalty is calculated based on the following:

• Take the number of net mineral acres that you own within a well's drilling or spacing unit (example: If you own an undivided 1/2 mineral interest in 80 acres, you own 40 net mineral acres.);
• Divide that number by the total acres in that well's drilling or spacing unit; and
• Multiply this number by the royalty interest specified in your Oil, Natural Gas and Mineral Lease.
• For example, if you own 40 net mineral acres, the spacing unit is 640 acres and the royalty interest is 1/8, then your royalty interest in the well is (40/640) x 1/8 =0.0078125.

A division order is a directive signed by the interest owner verifying to the purchaser or operator of a well the decimal interest of production owned by the interest owner. Also, it provides the interest owner’s address and tax identification number (TIN) (Social Security Number or Employee Identification Number). Providing the TIN allows the operator to avoid withholding income taxes from owner’s revenue checks if applicable.

The division order does NOT represent a sale of your property or any changes to your lease.

When you sign and return the Division Order, you confirm that you agree with the information disclosed in the document. If you have any questions regarding the content of your Division Order, please contact Owner Relations at 844-445-1966 or OwnerRelations@alta-resources.com.

You may contact Owner Relations at 844-445-1966 during normal business hours or OwnerRelations@alta-resources.com.

Alta also has an owner information online system. After you register with the system, you can view your account information, including check details. Please visit Alta’s Owner Information Website to register your account.

An owner number is the number assigned to your account by Alta for identification purposes. Please include this number in all communications with Alta, including voicemail messages and emails. Your owner number can be located on the top right portion of the first page of your check detail.

Please be advised that Alta will accept written notice only for address changes.

Download the Change of Address (COA) form. Fill it out completely and have all persons listed on the account sign and date.  If the written request is sent by someone other than the interest owner, please enclose a copy of a document, such as a Power of Attorney, granting authority to act on behalf of said owner.

Submit via mail to Alta’s Houston address listed on the COA form or via email OwnerRelations@alta-resources.com.

For additional questions, please contact Owner Relations at 844-445-1966 or OwnerRelations@alta-resources.com.

Provide Land Administration with the appropriate documents as listed below by email to OwnerRelations@alta-resources.com or mail to:

Alta Marcellus Development, LLC
Attn: Land Administration
500 Dallas, Suite 2700
Houston, TX 77002

• Individual
  • Copy of marriage certificate
  • Divorce decree reinstating maiden name
  • Other legal documents affecting a name change
• Company
  • Certificate of Name Change with verification of Tax ID to be used
  • Certificate of Merger with verification of Tax ID to be used

Yes, direct deposit is available for revenue interest owners with a United States bank account.

You may sign up through Alta’s Owner Information Website, or you may download the Direct Deposit Enrollment form.

• Fill the form out completely and have all persons listed on the account sign and date the form.
• Include a voided check copy for the account you wish to have funds deposited in.
• Submit via mail to Alta’s Houston address listed on the form or via email at OwnerRelations@alta-resources.com.
• Note: You will continue to receive your check detail by mail unless you have elected to go paperless through Alta’s Owner Information Website.

Please note it may take up to two (2) payment cycles for direct deposit to be set up. You will continue to receive a check while we process your request.

You may activate your account by visiting Alta’s Owner Information Website.

You may contact Owner Relations at 844-445-1966 or OwnerRelations@alta-resources.com if you need additional assistance.

Download the Direct Deposit Enrollment form. Make necessary changes, sign and date the form. Include a voided check copy for the account you wish to have it deposited in. Submit via mail to Alta’s Houston address listed on the Direct Deposit form or via email OwnerRelations@alta-resources.com.

Please note it may take up to two (2) payment cycles for direct deposit to be set up. You will continue to receive a check while we process your request.

Checks are issued and mailed on or about the 25th day of each month. Direct deposits are generally made within 2 business days after royalty checks are issued. Revenue is normally distributed within 60 days following the production month.

Our checks are mailed on the 25th of each month. If this date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or National Holiday, your check will be issued the succeeding business day. If you do not receive your check by the tenth business day from the date the checks were mailed, contact Owner Relations at 844-445-1966 or OwnerRelations@alta-resources.com.

Please be advised that it is Alta’s policy to issue a check only when an account has accumulated production proceeds of Alta’s minimum pay amount which is $50.00 (see also What is the minimum pay amount?). If an account balance is less than $50.00, a check will be issued when the account balance reaches $50.00. The exception to this policy is that at least once a year we release all account balances.

An owner must accumulate a minimum balance in their account of $50.00 in order for a check to be issued. A minimum pay suspense release below the minimum threshold will be issued at least once a calendar year.

Many factors may cause your payment to vary, including but not limited to, market conditions, suspended payments, adjustments (including any overpayments or underpayments), fluctuating commodity prices, regulatory or contractual changes, production volumes, seasonal conditions and routine maintenance or operating issues which may affect the volumes produced from a well during a given time period.

This can occur because ownership between family members is not equal, because one party has not provided Alta with a Tax ID (TIN) or other required information, or because some family members may own interest in other properties in addition to those commonly owned. Other factors possibly causing variances between family member check amounts may be related to stale dated checks, returned checks and/or address changes.

Royalty checks are mailed either on the 25th of each month or on the last workday prior to the 25th. Lease Obligation checks are mailed pursuant to the lease. Please allow sufficient time for delivery by the postal service before contacting us. If your check is lost or stolen, please notify us at 844-445-1966 or OwnerRelations@alta-resources.com. Please give your owner number and the month of the check that you did not receive.

Checks must be cashed within 90 days of issue date. If your check is outdated, please notify us at 844-445-1966 or OwnerRelations@alta-resources.com.

Royalty payments may be suspended (or held in suspense) until certain conditions are satisfied. Generally, royalty payments may be suspended for several reasons including, but not limited to, the following:

Missing Tax ID, insufficient address, assignment of interest, notice of death, lack of documentation/title confirming ownership, or disputes involving proper apportionment or ownership of interests in the minerals produced.

Also, please note that revenue checks are issued only when the revenue amount due exceeds $50.00. Please see "What is the minimum pay amount?" above for more information on minimum release payments.

You can view your royalty statement by registering your owner account at Alta’s Owner Information Website.

Please contact Owner Relations at 844-445-1966 or OwnerRelations@alta-resources.com.  More information can also be found at Alta’s Owner Information Website.

Please contact Owner Relations at 844-445-1966 or OwnerRelations@alta-resources.com.

Please provide a copy of the recorded conveyance document to Alta. Please note that the conveyance document should be recorded in the county(s) where the well(s) is located. You may mail the recorded conveyance to:

Alta Marcellus Development, LLC
Attn: Land Administration
500 Dallas, Suite 2700
Houston, TX 77002

If the royalty owner died with a will (testate), please provide a Certified Copy of Death Certificate, and either:

• Ancillary Probate filed/ opened in county where the well(s) was located that includes:
  • Letters Testamentary
  • Order Admitting Will to Probate
  • Copy of Will
  • List of all Heirs, including Name, Address and Social Security Number; OR
• Authenticated copies of Probate opened in another state that has been filed of record in the county where the well is located together with a list of all Heirs, including Name, Address and Social Security Number.

If the royalty owner died without a will (intestate), please provide:

• Death Certificate
• Affidavit of Heirship, completed by two disinterested parties – i.e., not heirs of the Estate
• List of all Heirs, including Name, Address and Social Security Number

Mail a copy of the applicable documentation to:

Alta Marcellus Development, LLC
Attn: Land Administration
500 Dallas, Suite 2700
Houston, TX 77002

Mail a copy of the applicable documentation as outlined below to:

Alta Marcellus Development, LLC
Attn: Land Administration
500 Dallas, Suite 2700
Houston, TX 77002

• Trust Created – Recorded conveyance of interest to the Trustee and/or Trust or Partnership Agreement
• Change of Trustee (Death) – Recorded instrument evidencing death of Trustee and appointment of Successor Trustee
• Change of Trustee (Resignation) – Recorded instrument evidencing Trustee resignation and appointment of Successor Trustee
• Change of Trustee (Appointment) – Copy of Trust Agreement or Memorandum of Trust
• Trust/Partnership Terminations – Dissolution of Trust or Partnership and conveyance to beneficiary or partners

A recorded conveyance document is required to transfer interest from you to you and your spouse. Documentation must be recorded in the state and county where the minerals reside. You may mail the conveyance to:

Alta Marcellus Development, LLC
Attn: Land Administration
500 Dallas, Suite 2700
Houston, TX 77002

Please notify owner relations at 844-445-1966 or OwnerRelations@alta-resources.com if you would like the interest suspended temporarily or if royalty payments should be continued until the transaction has been completed.

The amount of time that it takes to complete a transfer depends on the complexity of the issue. For information on your transfer, contact OwnerRelations@alta-resources.com or call 844-445-1966.

Your Tax ID is either your Social Security Number (SSN) or Employee Identification Number (EIN) which we must have on file for reporting and identification services. If a Tax ID is not provided, the IRS requires a withholding of 28% of all revenues.

Please complete and submit a W-9 to avoid future withholdings.

If you do not have a valid Federal Tax ID – Social Security Number (SSN) or Employee Tax Identification Number (EIN) on file for reporting and identification services, the IRS requires Alta to withhold 28% of all revenues until the information has been provided.

Foreign persons are subject to a withholding tax of 30%.

Complete and submit a W-9 to avoid future withholdings.

Your 1099 Miscellaneous Tax forms will be mailed no later than Jan. 31. If the 31st falls on Saturday or Sunday, the IRS allows for mailing the following Monday.

Some costs associated with selling a product are shared by all owners including royalty owners. Working interest owners share in those same costs plus the cost of exploration, drilling, completing, equipping and operating a well.

The 1099 shows the gross amount before taxes and other deductions as required by the IRS. In order to help you reconcile this gross amount to the total of your actual payments received, we include a reconciliation on the back of your 1099 showing the gross amount, taxes and deducts and the net amount. The net amount should tie to your total payments received for the year. If you have questions as to how this information should be presented on your tax return, please contact a tax professional.

Net can sometimes be more than the gross due to reimbursement of taxes or other adjustments. In this case, you will notice a negative tax amount on the reconciliation on the back of your 1099.

To access your check/direct deposit statements online, go to Alta’s Owner Information Website.  You will be prompted to enter your Login and Your Temporary Password. Once registered for the system, you may view your account information.

NOTE: You will need to register to access the site on your first visit. Click Register Now to set up your account. You will be given the option to choose a login name and prompted to choose a password. Your new password must be at least 8 characters long. Be sure to write your new password down and keep it in a safe place. You will also be prompted to provide an answer to a security question which will be used to verify your identity should you forget your password. Once you set up your account and you review and accept the terms of service, you will be fully registered.

If you need registration assistance, please contact Owner Relations at 844-445-1966 or OwnerRelations@alta-resources.com.

The following services are provided by the system to both royalty owners and working interest owners:

• Owner Profile
  • Update your email address and password for your online user ID
  • Sign up to have statements automatically emailed to you.
  • See a list of your current accounts available through this site.
• Revenue Check Detail: View or print your revenue check detail.

The following services are provided by the system to  working interest owners:

• Gas Balancing: View or print your gas balancing
• JIB Statements: View or print your JIB Statements.
• Monthly Production: View or print your monthly production.
• Daily Production: View or print your daily production.
• Payout: View or print your payout.

• Change of Address Form
• Direct Deposit Enrollment Form
• Form W-9
• Affidavit of Heirship