There's a very important meeting that concerns just about any land owner who has a oil or gas well on it.

Due to the recent downturn in the Oil & Gas Industry and numerous companies gone bankrupt or folded, many have been seeking well overdue rental payments on their leases.

An information meeting will be held in Cayley tonight to help landowners in the right direction.

Blackie farmer Richard Miller says there will be plenty of presentations from all sides of the spectrum at the meeting.

"Basically we're going to have representation from different sides," he says. "We're going to have representatives of land men that originally negotiated the deals. We're also going to have people from the surface rights board where you reply to to get the money that you're owed

There will be presentations by Julia Fulford, representing Alberta Energy Regulators,  Jill Mason, of the Surface Rights Board. Livingstone-Macleod MLA Pat Stier and by Miller.

Miller says if you haven't dealt with the Surface Rights Board, now is your chance to ask questions and get help in the right direction to collecting the rental payments owed to you.

"There's going to be some of the basic forms there that you're going to need. People are going to tell you exactly what you're going to need. The first form I did there was some paperwork sent back to me and I had to reply with more information. So if we can get everything started off with the proper paperwork it will just expedite the process."

The sites that may have been under the contract of Compton Petroleum or other oil companies now extinct whether it's a low disturbance or producing well can still be a dangerous hazard in any field and Miller hopes questions are answered when it comes to safety.

"What happens if there's an emergency or something like that? Does MSE or now Lexen have personnel available to take of things like that I think we're sitting kind of vulnerable right now because that."

If an operator has not paid money payable under a surface lease and the right of entry order or compensation order and the due date for the payment has passed, the person or persons entitled to the money may bring an application under section 36 of the Surface Rights Act.

The meeting is at 7 p.m. at the Cayley I.O.O.F hall.

Questions, comments, or story ideas? Email us at news@okotoksonline.com