For most of the history of the oil and gas industry, saltwater has been an expensive nuisance. Oil wells frequently produce substantial quantities of saltwater along with their hydrocarbons, and operators have historically spent enormous sums of money trying to get rid of it. This isn't ordinary saltwater, either. The brine produced from oil and
Texas oil and gas lawyers and landmen are used to old mineral interests. A deed from 1948 reserves the minerals. The minerals pass through three generations. Nobody drills. Nobody leases. Nobody records anything useful for decades. Then, when a new well gets proposed, everyone starts trying to find the heirs. That is normal Texas title
From my experience, Texas landowners are comfortable with Texas lease forms. Even if they need help, they tend to have some idea of what the contract says. That comfort, however, can become a problem when the minerals are in New Mexico. The lease looks familiar. The royalty clause looks familiar. The pooling clause looks familiar.
Obtaining a “warranty of title” in a deed sounds comforting. Buyers hear protection.Sellers hear boilerplate.I hear future problems. Most warranty disputes don’t happen because someone lied. They happen because someone signed language they didn’t actually understand—and didn’t realize how long that promise lasts. What a Warranty of Title Really Is A warranty of title is
If there is one concept in Texas oil and gas practice that causes more confusion than it should, it’s Net Mineral Acres. Landowners misunderstand it. Operators miscalculate it. Title professionals argue about it. And lawyers like me end up fixing someone else’s bad math. What makes this worse is that Net Mineral Acres feel simple
Every few years, South Texas landowners get a version of the same phone call: “We represent heirs of the original patentee of this ranch. The land was never properly conveyed. The minerals were never reserved. We’re preparing to sue for possession.” I got that call again on Friday from a non-lawyer claiming to represent “a
LLC End of the Year Checklist – STATE OF TEXAS Taking care of these items will help you begin the new year the right way. This checklist can help you stay ahead of end-of-year business responsibilities. While managing an LLC is not difficult, there are certain things you need to do – and do regularly.
FINANCIAL CRIMES ENFORCEMENT NETWORK On Jan. 1, 2024, millions of U.S. businesses became subject to the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which requires domestic and foreign businesses to provide certain beneficial ownership information (BOI) within prescribed deadlines to the U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). There are 23 exemptions to the CTA's reporting requirements, however,
I had the pleasure of appearing on a radio show/podcast hosted by my good friend Mark Hairston. The subject was estate planning and probate, an important subject. I was, to say the least, flattered to have been asked to participate. Mark has a mortgage lending service company that assists individuals and commercial entities secure competitively
Hogs for the Cause is a music festival and BBQ competition that raises money for families whose children have pediatric brain cancer. Nearly 1/3 of pediatric cancer deaths are from brain cancer, and brain cancer is the deadliest pediatric cancer. Nearly 20% of children diagnosed with cancer are living in poverty, and nearly 1/3 of