Critical situations in revenue distribution.
DO analysts calculate interests for every owner in the unit, prepare division orders, distribute them for signature, and set up the revenue deck so payments can begin on schedule.
After acquiring producing properties, division order teams reconcile the seller's revenue deck against title opinions, correct errors, and process transfers for new owners of record.
DO analysts verify the claim against title records, calculate the correct decimal interest, update the revenue deck, and process back-payments for any previously suspended or under-paid amounts.
Systematic analysis of why revenue is in suspense — unlocatable owners, title defects, unsigned DOs, address issues — and targeted action to resolve each item and release funds.
From title opinion to first payment.
The DO analyst reviews the DOTO (Division Order Title Opinion) to identify all owners and their respective interest types — WI, ORRI, RI, mineral interest.
Calculate each owner's decimal interest in the well based on their tract acreage, unit acreage, interest type, and any mathematical proportioning required by pooling orders.
Prepare division order documents showing each owner's decimal interest. Mail to all interest owners for signature. Manage the return process, including follow-up on unsigned DOs.
Enter confirmed decimals into the operator's revenue accounting system. Process first payment runs and manage ongoing owner correspondence, address changes, and transfer of interest requests.
A title opinion is the attorney's legal analysis of who owns what. A division order is the mathematical calculation of each owner's decimal interest in a specific well, derived from the title opinion. The title opinion is the input; the division order is the output that drives revenue payments.
In most states, no. Many states (including Texas) require operators to pay within a certain period regardless of whether the DO is signed. However, signing helps confirm your ownership and ensures your contact/payment information is on file. Unsigned DOs can cause delays.
Common causes: title defects preventing ownership confirmation, unlocatable owners (bad addresses), disputed ownership between parties, unprobated estates, unsigned division orders past the state's grace period, and mathematical errors in decimal calculations.
DO analysts typically work on day rates ($300–$500) or per-well fees. A single new well might cost $2,000–$5,000 for complete DO preparation depending on the number of interest owners and complexity. Large-scale projects (acquisitions, deck conversions) are usually staffed at day rates.
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