Any thoughts on how I could structure a deal where not only will I sell the land for the seller but I could also structure a deal where I could be part owner of the potential drilling  that could take place on the lan...

Both the building and land would be mortgaged, but is the extra piece you are referencing part of the mortgaged collateral? 

How do I pick up the pieces and fix these issues? 

@Karen Margrave  who you probably know from BP she ran into this in Oregon as well.. its quite confusing to those of us that came from CA like Karen and I and there you don't need a developers license.. but you need a Real estate license to make any kind of middle man fee.. same in Oregon.I finally got tired of is this legal or not and sent in  a copy of a direct E mail piece I got from a Quote un Quote wholesaler in Oregon that I knew was not licensed and did not own the property here is the response I got from the state.State of Oregon - Real Estate AgencyFrances Hlawatsch | Financial InvestigatorBest regards,Thank you again for the information, if I have further questions for you during the investigation I will certainly reach out.The Agency is well aware that unlicensed “wholesalers” are rampant in our jurisdiction.

The vacancy piece is the part that you don't want to have to deal with and the fact that they are taking care of the property and updating the landscape I think it's worth it.

=)Most Southern Californians are perfectly happy purchasing their first piece of real estate to "achieve the American dream" or for another emotional reason.  

Most videos and interviews I have watched so far give you the big picture and the scope of the work involved, but not the bits and pieces of the work involved. 

When I ask to speak to one of the trainers and ask him (they have always been guys), I get that answer.Yes, books and audios are out there but understand what those are: promotional pieces to lead you to sign up for the author's training, the kind of training I just discussed. 

@Corey Walz In terms of proof of funds and liquidity you need to find someone to be a KP on your deal which comes with a price of course and a piece of equity in a deal that you two would negotiate.

I know most developers would pass on this piece of property because it has a lot of up front risks but if you can get past those the rewards will be worth it.