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About

New this year: The Fundamentals of Oil, Gas & Mineral Law, a one-day boot camp, brings together a distinguished faculty of both academics and practitioners for an exquisitely crafted series of presentations designed to provide a comprehensive overview of oil and gas legal issues.

The program opens with the definitive primer on how to drill an oil or gas well and continues with sessions on the Rule of Capture; oil and gas interests; a three-session look at the oil and gas lease including classification, royalty valuation and implied covenants; conveyancing; and the Joint Operating Agreement.

Continue on to the one-day 35th Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas & Mineral Law Institute.

Event Schedule

  • Time
    Credit
    Subject
    Speaker
  • Day 1 Morning
    Presiding Officers:
    In Houston: Michael P. Pearson, Jackson Walker L.L.P. - Houston, TX
    In Dallas: Michael P. Pearson, Jackson Walker L.L.P. - Houston, TX
  • 8:00 am
    Houston Only
    Registration Opens

    Includes continental breakfast.
  • 8:30 am
    Houston Only
    Welcoming Remarks

    Michael P. Pearson, Jackson Walker L.L.P., Houston, TX
  • 8:45 am
    Houston Only
    0.75 hr
    So You Want to Drill Your Own Oil Well? A Hands-On Oil and Gas Drilling Primer

    Frank N. Cusimano III, Chevron U.S.A. Inc. - Houston, TX

    An overview of the process of finding oil and gas, and bringing it to the surface.
  • 9:30 am
    Houston Only
    0.75 hr
    The Rule of Capture, Correlative Rights, and Principles of Conservation

    Patrick H. Martin, Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center - Baton Rouge, LA

    Examine the effects of the Rule of Capture that has led to extensive regulation of oil and gas drilling and production by state and federal agencies. Discussion of well spacing, production limitations, pooling and unitization, and related environmental regulation. The procedures for establishing units under leases, by separate contract and through agency orders are outlined. Agency rules and regulations, rule-making and adjudication procedures are described, as well as judicial review of agency actions, including the concepts of collateral attack, exhaustion of administrative remedies, primary jurisdiction, and standards of deference. Also discussed are the effects of conservation regulation on leases and term interests.
  • 10:15 am
    Houston Only
    Break
  • 10:30 am
    Houston Only
    0.75 hr
    Interests in Oil and Gas

    Laura H. Burney, Attorney at Law - San Antonio, TX

    A look at the types, characteristics, classification, and ownership issues.
  • 11:15 am
    Houston Only
    1.00 hr
    The Oil and Gas Lease, Part I: Classification, Scope of Grant, and Duration

    Owen L. Anderson, University of Oklahoma College of Law - Norman, OK

    This presentation focuses on how an oil and gas lease is classified in law, and on the key clauses of the lease. Pooling and royalty clauses are covered in other sessions.
  • Day 1 Afternoon
    Presiding Officer:
    In Houston: Michael P. Pearson, Jackson Walker L.L.P. - Houston, TX
  • 12:15 pm
    Houston Only
    Pick up Box Lunch

    Included in course registration.
  • 12:30 pm
    Houston Only
    0.50 hr
    Luncheon Presentation: Texas Title Examination Standards—Introduction and Practical Exercises

    David H.O. Roth, Cox Smith Matthews Incorporated - San Antonio, TX

    A look at the use of Title Examination Standards to address common defects, exceptions, and errors found in the chain of title to land; plus the language of the standards, times when they are applicable, and the commentary of applicable law for each standard. Included in the presentation are some practical examination exercises using actual instruments pulled from the public records.
  • 1:00 pm
    Houston Only
    Break
  • 1:15 pm
    Houston Only
    0.75 hr
    The Oil and Gas Lease, Part II: The Royalty Clause in an Oil and Gas Lease

    Bruce M. Kramer, Of Counsel, McGinnis, Lochridge, & Kilgore, L.L.P. - Houston, TX

    In Texas, the calculation of the royalty obligation created under an oil and gas lease is determined by looking at the specific language contained in the royalty clause. This session focuses on some of the principal phrases used to describe such obligations and how the Texas courts have interpreted them, and takes a  look at how that same language has been interpreted differently in other jurisdictions. Finally, the impact of division and transfer orders are analyzed to see how such instruments may affect the royalty obligations contained in the lease.
  • 2:00 pm
    Houston Only
    0.75 hr
    The Oil and Gas Lease, Part III: Implied Covenants

    Elizabeth N. "Becky" Miller, Scott, Douglass & McConnico, L.L.P. - Austin, TX

    An outline of the law of implied covenants, including duties imposed, standards applied, and remedies available.
  • 2:45 pm
    Houston Only
    Break
  • 3:00 pm
    Houston Only
    0.75 hr
    Voluntary Pooling and Unitization

    Jacqueline Lang Weaver, University of Houston Law Center - Houston, TX

    This session covers (1) the typical pooling clause in an oil and gas lease which allows the lessee to combine acreage under one lease with acreage underlying adjacent tracts, and (2) the voluntary unitization statute in Texas under which the Railroad Commission approves fieldwide units which may combine acreage from hundreds of different tracts and landowners for the purpose of second recovery or repressuring.
  • 3:45 pm
    Houston Only
    1.00 hr
    Oil and Gas Conveyancing

    Laura H. Burney, Attorney at Law - San Antonio, TX

    This session describes the terms used to convey mineral and royalty interests and the issues that arise in drafting and interpreting these conveyances.
  • 4:45 pm
    Houston Only
    0.75 hr
    The Joint Operating Agreement

    Allen D. Cummings, Law Offices of Allen D. Cummings - San Antonio, TX

    In the oil and gas business, Joint Operating Agreements (JOAs) allow two or more oil and gas lease owners to cooperate and jointly participate in the benefits, risks, and the expense of gas and oil exploration. This session provides an overview of the important components of a JOA, completion of and additions to the form JOA, and issues that arise in the application of the JOA provisions to everyday exploration and production activities.
  • 5:30 pm
    Houston Only
    Adjourn
Download Schedule

Conference Faculty

Owen L. Anderson

University of Oklahoma College of Law
Norman, OK

Laura H. Burney

Attorney at Law
San Antonio, TX

Allen D. Cummings

Law Offices of Allen D. Cummings
San Antonio, TX

Frank N. Cusimano III

Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Houston, TX

Bruce M. Kramer

Of Counsel, McGinnis, Lochridge, & Kilgore, L.L.P.
Houston, TX

Patrick H. Martin

Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center
Baton Rouge, LA

Elizabeth N. "Becky" Miller

Scott, Douglass & McConnico, L.L.P.
Austin, TX

David H.O. Roth

Cox Smith Matthews Incorporated
San Antonio, TX

Jacqueline Lang Weaver

University of Houston Law Center
Houston, TX

Credit Info

MCLE Credit
A Texas MCLE Reporting Form will be included in your course materials. Please complete and return to the registration desk and UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the State Bar of Texas, or you can self-report your credit directly to the State Bar of Texas at texasbar.com. A Certificate of Attendance will be provided at the conference to keep for your records.  
At the conference, you will need to sign in on the Record of Attendance form at the registration desk. Self-report your CLE credit directly to the State Bar of California at calbar.ca.gov. You will receive a Certificate of Attendance at the conference to keep for your records. UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.  
Note on Self-Reporting Your Credits in Another State
If you wish to satisfy MCLE or other professional education requirements in another state for a program offered by the University of Texas School of Law, please check with the state bar or other licensing authority in that state before taking the program to ensure it will qualify for self-reporting your credits.
Other Credit

http://www.landman.org/home
The University of Texas School of Law (Provider #250) live conferences are presumptively approved by The Texas State Board of Public Accountancy for Texas Accounting CPE credit based on a 50-minute credit hour. Approved for general CPE credit only.

At the conference, you will need to sign in on the Accounting CPE Record of Attendance form at the registration desk. You will receive a Texas Accounting Certificate of Completion at the conference for your records. Self-report your CPE credit directly to TSBPA. UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.  

Contact Laura Tolin, ltolin@law.utexas.edu, if you have additional questions.
MCLE Credit
A Texas MCLE Reporting Form will be included in your course materials. Please complete and return to the registration desk and UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the State Bar of Texas, or you can self-report your credit directly to the State Bar of Texas at texasbar.com. A Certificate of Attendance will be provided at the conference to keep for your records.  
At the conference, you will need to sign in on the Record of Attendance form at the registration desk. Self-report your CLE credit directly to the State Bar of California at calbar.ca.gov. You will receive a Certificate of Attendance at the conference to keep for your records. UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.  
Note on Self-Reporting Your Credits in Another State
If you wish to satisfy MCLE or other professional education requirements in another state for a program offered by the University of Texas School of Law, please check with the state bar or other licensing authority in that state before taking the program to ensure it will qualify for self-reporting your credits.
Other Credit

http://www.landman.org/home
The University of Texas School of Law (Provider #250) live conferences are presumptively approved by The Texas State Board of Public Accountancy for Texas Accounting CPE credit based on a 50-minute credit hour. Approved for general CPE credit only.

At the conference, you will need to sign in on the Accounting CPE Record of Attendance form at the registration desk. You will receive a Texas Accounting Certificate of Completion at the conference for your records. Self-report your CPE credit directly to TSBPA. UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.  

Contact Laura Tolin, ltolin@law.utexas.edu, if you have additional questions.
MCLE Credit
A Texas MCLE Reporting Form will be included in your course materials. Please complete and return to the registration desk and UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the State Bar of Texas, or you can self-report your credit directly to the State Bar of Texas at texasbar.com. A Certificate of Attendance will be provided at the conference to keep for your records.  
At the conference, you will need to sign in on the Record of Attendance form at the registration desk. Self-report your CLE credit directly to the State Bar of California at calbar.ca.gov. You will receive a Certificate of Attendance at the conference to keep for your records. UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.  
Note on Self-Reporting Your Credits in Another State
If you wish to satisfy MCLE or other professional education requirements in another state for a program offered by the University of Texas School of Law, please check with the state bar or other licensing authority in that state before taking the program to ensure it will qualify for self-reporting your credits.
Other Credit

http://www.landman.org/home
The University of Texas School of Law (Provider #250) live conferences are presumptively approved by The Texas State Board of Public Accountancy for Texas Accounting CPE credit based on a 50-minute credit hour. Approved for general CPE credit only.

At the conference, you will need to sign in on the Accounting CPE Record of Attendance form at the registration desk. You will receive a Texas Accounting Certificate of Completion at the conference for your records. Self-report your CPE credit directly to TSBPA. UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.  

Contact Laura Tolin, ltolin@law.utexas.edu, if you have additional questions.

Key Dates

Houston – Mar 26, 2009 – Hyatt Regency
Conference Concluded
Video Replay: Dallas – May 20, 2009 – Cityplace Conference Center
Conference Concluded
Video Replay: Midland – Jun 4, 2009 – Hilton Midland Plaza
Conference Concluded
Buy
Houston
Last day for Standard Registration early registration: Mar 18, 2009

Add $50 for registrations received after this time

Last day for cancellation (full refund): Mar 20, 2009
Last day for cancellation (partial refund): Mar 23, 2009

$50 processing fee applied

Dallas
Last day for Standard Registration early registration: May 13, 2009

Add $50 for registrations received after this time

Last day for cancellation (full refund): May 15, 2009
Last day for cancellation (partial refund): May 18, 2009

$50 processing fee applied

Midland
Last day for Standard Registration early registration: May 27, 2009

Add $50 for registrations received after this time

Last day for cancellation (full refund): May 29, 2009
Last day for cancellation (partial refund): Jun 1, 2009

$50 processing fee applied

Venue

speaker

Hyatt Regency

1200 Louisiana Street
Houston, TX
713-654-1234

Accommodations

$189.00 good through Feb 26, 2009

Parking Information

$12 Valet; Self-parking available nearby

speaker

Cityplace Conference Center

2711 North Haskell Avenue
Dallas, TX
214.515.5100
Map

Parking Information

Complimentary Self-Parking

speaker

Hilton Midland Plaza

117 West Wall
Midland, TX
(432) 683-6131 (reservations)

Parking Information

Complimentary Self-Parking

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