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About

UT Law's Fundamentals of Oil, Gas and Mineral Law brings together a distinguished faculty of both academics and practitioners for a 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 four-session look at the oil and gas lease—classification, royalty valuation, implied covenants and other clauses—conveyancing, and the Joint Operating Agreement.

Continue on to the 41st Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Institute for a full day addressing the latest in oil and gas developments.

Event Schedule

  • Time
    Credit
    Subject
    Speaker
  • Thursday Morning
    Presiding Officer:
    Michael E. McElroy, McElroy, Sullivan, Miller, Weber & Olmstead L.L.P. - Austin, TX
  • 7:30 am
    Houston, Dallas Only
    Registration Opens

    Includes continental breakfast.
  • 8:20 am
    Welcoming Remarks
  • 8:30 am
    0.50 hr
    So You Want to Drill Your Own Oil Well? An Oil and Gas Drilling Primer

    Frank N. Cusimano III, Chevron North America Exploration and Production Company - Houston, TX

    An overview of the process of finding oil and gas and bringing it to the surface, as well as some of the needed agreements.
  • 9:00 am
    0.75 hr
    The Rule of Capture, Correlative Rights and Principles of Conservation

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

    Examine the effects of the Rule of Capture, and discuss well spacing, production limitations, pooling and unitization and related environmental regulation. 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.
  • 9:45 am
    Break
  • 10:00 am
    0.75 hr
    Interests in Oil and Gas

    Christopher S. Kulander, South Texas College of Law - Houston, TX

    An overview of the general types, characteristics and classifications of oil and gas interests.
  • 10:45 am
    1.00 hr
    The Oil and Gas Lease, Part I: Classification, Scope of Grant and Duration

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

    An in-depth focus on how an oil and gas lease is classified in law and on the key clauses of the lease.
  • 11:45 am
    Houston, Dallas Only
    Pick Up Lunch

    Included in registration.
  • Thursday Afternoon
    Presiding Officer:
    Michael E. McElroy, McElroy, Sullivan, Miller, Weber & Olmstead L.L.P. - Austin, TX
  • LUNCHEON PRESENTATION
  • 12:05 pm
    0.50 hr
    Texas Title Examination Standards: Introduction and Practical Exercises

    Allen D. Cummings, Law Offices of Allen D. Cummings - 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 are a few practical examination exercises using actual situations encountered in title examination.
  • 12:35 pm
    Break
  • 12:50 pm
    0.75 hr
    The Oil and Gas Lease, Part II: The Royalty Clause in an Oil and Gas Lease

    Bruce M. Kramer, Of Counsel and Maddox Professor of Law Emeritus, McGinnis Lochridge and Texas Tech University - Houston and Lubbock, 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. Focus on some of the principal phrases used to describe such obligations and how the Texas courts have interpreted them, and take a look at how that same language has been interpreted differently in other jurisdictions. Analyze the impact of division and transfer orders to determine how such instruments may affect the royalty obligations contained in the lease.
  • 1:35 pm
    0.75 hr
    The Oil and Gas Lease, Part III: Implied Covenants

    Keith B. Hall, Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center - Baton Rouge, LA

    An outline of the law of implied covenants, including duties imposed, standards applied and remedies available.
  • 2:20 pm
    0.50 hr
    The Oil and Gas Lease, Part IV: Other Clauses

    Thomas A. Daily, Daily & Woods, P.L.L.C. and University of Arkansas School of Law - Fort Smith and Fayetteville, AR

    A review of other clauses in an oil and gas lease, including surface use clauses and riders, retained acreage and proportionate reduction clauses, and savings clauses such as continuous operations, dry hole, force majeure and shut-in gas royalty clauses.
  • 2:50 pm
    Break
  • 3:00 pm
    0.75 hr
    Voluntary Pooling and Unitization

    Carroll G. Martin, Scott, Douglass & McConnico, L.L.P. - Austin, TX

    Coverage of 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, as well as the voluntary unitization statute in Texas under which the Railroad Commission approves field-wide units, which may combine acreage from hundreds of different tracts and landowners for the purpose of second recovery or repressuring.
  • 3:45 pm
    1.00 hr
    Oil and Gas Conveyancing

    Laura H. Burney, St. Mary's University School of Law - San Antonio, TX

    Explore the terms used to convey mineral and royalty interests and the issues that arise in drafting and interpreting these conveyances.
  • 4:45 pm
    0.75 hr
    The Joint Operating Agreement (JOA)

    John S. Lowe, Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law - Dallas, TX

    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 exploration and production activities.
  • 5:30 pm
    Adjourn Fundamentals
Download Schedule

Conference Faculty

Owen L. Anderson

The University of Oklahoma College of Law
Norman, OK

Laura H. Burney

St. Mary's University School of Law
San Antonio, TX

Allen D. Cummings

Law Offices of Allen D. Cummings
San Antonio, TX

Frank N. Cusimano III

Chevron North America Exploration and Production Company
Houston, TX

Thomas A. Daily

Daily & Woods, P.L.L.C. and University of Arkansas School of Law
Fort Smith and Fayetteville, AR

Keith B. Hall

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

Bruce M. Kramer

Of Counsel and Maddox Professor of Law Emeritus, McGinnis Lochridge and Texas Tech University
Houston and Lubbock, TX

Christopher S. Kulander

South Texas College of Law
Houston, TX

John S. Lowe

Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
Dallas, TX

Carroll G. Martin

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

Patrick H. Martin

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

Planning Committee

Michael E. McElroy—Director

McElroy, Sullivan, Miller, Weber & Olmstead L.L.P.
Austin, TX

Chris Aycock

Cotton Bledsoe Tighe & Dawson, PC
Midland, TX

Jonathan D. Baughman

McGinnis Lochridge
Houston, TX

William B. Burford

Hinkle, Hensley, Shanor & Martin, L.L.P.
Midland, TX

Gregory C. Cox

Locke Lord LLP
Houston, TX

Frank N. Cusimano III

Chevron North America Exploration and Production Company
Houston, TX

James M. Davis Jr.

EXL Petroleum, LP
Midland, TX

Monika Ehrman

The University of Oklahoma College of Law
Norman, OK

W. John English Jr.

Baker & Hostetler LLP
Houston, TX

Norma Rosner Iacovo

Tenaska Power Services Co.
Arlington, TX

Michael D. Jones

Jones Gill LLP
Houston, TX

Jeffery A. McCarn

Brown & Fortunato, P.C.
Amarillo, TX

M.C. Cottingham Miles

Martin & Drought, P.C.
San Antonio, TX

Ricardo E. Morales

Person, Whitworth, Borchers & Morales, L.L.P.
Laredo, TX

David Michael Patton

Locke Lord LLP
Houston, TX

Michael P. Pearson

Jackson Walker L.L.P.
Houston, TX

J. Derrick Price

McGinnis Lochridge
Austin, TX

Ernest E. Smith

The University of Texas School of Law
Austin, TX

George A. Snell III

Steptoe & Johnson PLLC
Amarillo, 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.  
At the conference, you will need to sign in on the Record of Attendance form at the registration desk. UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the Supreme Court of Louisiana Continuing Legal Education Committee within 30 days after the conference. You will receive a Certificate of Attendance 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 Nevada Board of Continuing Legal Education. 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.  
At the conference, you will need to sign in on the Record of Attendance form at the registration desk. You will receive a Certificate of Attendance at the conference to keep for your records. UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the Oklahoma Bar Association within 30 days after the conference.
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

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.

http://engineers.texas.gov/CEP_Info.htm
https://www.trec.texas.gov/sites/default/files/pdf-forms/CE_CLE-0.pdf

Use this link to obtain the TREC MCE form for self-reporting your TREC credit.  UT Law CLE will provide a Certificate of Attendance at the conference.
MCLE Credit
UT Law CLE will report credit to the State Bar of Texas on your behalf. If you are claiming credit in the last week of your birth month, self-report your credit directly to the State Bar of Texas at texasbar.com. A Certificate of Completion will be emailed to you upon claiming credit.
Self-report your CLE credit directly to the State Bar of California at calbar.ca.gov. Print and keep the Certificate of Completion for your records. A Certificate of Completion will be emailed to you upon claiming credit.
No Additional Credit Information.
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.  
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 Nevada Board of Continuing Legal Education. 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.  
At the conference, you will need to sign in on the Record of Attendance form at the registration desk. You will receive a Certificate of Attendance at the conference to keep for your records. UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the Oklahoma Bar Association within 30 days after the conference.
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

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.

http://engineers.texas.gov/CEP_Info.htm
https://www.trec.texas.gov/sites/default/files/pdf-forms/CE_CLE-0.pdf

Use this link to obtain the TREC MCE form for self-reporting your TREC credit.  UT Law CLE will provide a Certificate of Attendance at the conference.

Key Dates

Houston – Mar 26, 2015 – Royal Sonesta Hotel Houston
Conference Concluded
Live Webcast – Mar 26, 2015
Conference Concluded
Video Replay: Dallas – Apr 23, 2015 – Cityplace Conference Center
Conference Concluded
Buy
Houston
Last day for Individual early registration: Mar 20, 2015

Add $50 for registrations received after this time

Last day for Group (5 registrants minimum) early registration: Mar 20, 2015

Add $50 for registrations received after this time

Last day for Group (10 registrants minimum) early registration: Mar 20, 2015

Add $50 for registrations received after this time

Last day for cancellation (full refund): Mar 20, 2015
Last day for cancellation (partial refund): Mar 23, 2015

$50 processing fee applied

Live Webcast
Last day for Individual early registration: Mar 26, 2015

Add $0 for registrations received after this time

Last day for Group (5 registrants minimum) early registration: Mar 26, 2015

Add $0 for registrations received after this time

Last day for Group (10 registrants minimum) early registration: Mar 26, 2015

Add $0 for registrations received after this time

Last day for cancellation (full refund): Mar 20, 2015
Last day for cancellation (partial refund): Mar 23, 2015

$50 processing fee applied

Dallas
Last day for Individual early registration: Apr 17, 2015

Add $50 for registrations received after this time

Last day for Group (5 registrants minimum) early registration: Apr 17, 2015

Add $50 for registrations received after this time

Last day for Group (10 registrants minimum) early registration: Apr 17, 2015

Add $50 for registrations received after this time

Last day for cancellation (full refund): Apr 17, 2015
Last day for cancellation (partial refund): Apr 20, 2015

$50 processing fee applied

Venue

speaker

Royal Sonesta Hotel Houston

2222 West Loop South
Houston, TX 77027-3502
713.627.7600
855.463.3091 (reservations)
Map

Accommodations

$199 room rate good through March 10, 2015 (subject to availability). 
Reserve your room online  (Group Code:  0401UTCLE).    

Parking Information

$10 daily self-parking; $16 overnight self-parking; $16 valet daily parking; $27 valet overnight

speaker

Cityplace Conference Center

2711 North Haskell Avenue
Dallas, TX
214.515.5100
Map

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