Real Property: Oil and Gas Leases-Renewal-Fiduciary Duty

Where appellant oil companies sued defendants in a dispute regarding royalty interests in oil and gas leases, the relevant top leases were new leases and were not extensions or renewals of the subject leases, so the overriding royalty interests did not burden the top leases, and the judgment is affirmed.

Judgment is affirmed.

Pitchblack Oil LLC v. Hess Bakken Investments II LLC (MLW No.74503/Case No. 18-1734 – 12 pages) (U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit, Smith, J.) Appealed from U.S. District Court, District of North Dakota, Hovland, J. (Spencer D. Ptacek, Bismarck, North Dakota, and Brandon J.T. Hoskins, Billings, Montana, argued for appellants) (Paul J. Forster, Bismarck, North Dakota, argued for appellee).