re: big boys take 20% - pathetic I think you guys are...

re: big boys take 20% - pathetic I think you guys are misconstruing this.

First it is Aera Energy (Shell and ExxonMobil) that have the royalty interest not ChevronTexaco
Second, the fact that Aera retained an interest in the well as opposed to selling the drilling rights solely for cash confirms the potential of these blocks. Given the size of XOM and Shell, it takes a significant discovery to make a difference to their financial statements.