From Oil Patch Hotline

The North Dakota State Supreme Court last week backed up the contention of mineral owners along the edge of Missouri River near Williston that the state wrongly grabbed their mineral ownership and the result could be a huge payout.

The State does not have any claim or hold title as sovereign lands to any minerals above the Ordinary High Water Mark of the historical Missouri riverbed channel, the court said about the  William S. Wilkinson case brought against the ND Dept. of Trust Lands, Statoil, Brigham Oil and Gas and others.

“I t’s a historic win for North Dakota mineral owners/landowners against the State, said attorney Josh Swanson.  “The Supreme Court categorically rejected all of the State’s arguments, affirmed the fact that the Wilkinsons own the minerals, and is allowing the Wilkinsons to go back to the district court to pursue money damages against the State.”

As much as $1 million could be distributed to 14 mineral owners on 286 acres on the edge of Missouri River.