Austin represents Texas operators and non-operators in complex issues and disputes. He seeks practical solutions to avoid litigation, but adopts aggressive courtroom strategies when necessary.
Texas Supreme Court ruled in Cactus Water Services v. COG Operating that produced water belongs to mineral estate owners, not surface owners, even when conveyance documents don't explicitly mention it.
Texas courts reject "mechanical" deed interpretation while creating a 28-step framework. Bush v. Yarborough reveals the irony of structured analysis disguised as flexible law.
Can one word in a contract cost millions? A Texas oil company just discovered what happens when 'may' doesn't mean 'must' in their royalty assignments.
Who owns the void left behind after millions of tons of salt are mined - and can it be used for someone else’s storage business? The Texas Supreme Court just drew the line.
What happens when your easement says nothing about width? A Texas court just weighed in after a landowner tried to set one.
A lessee who halts production for less than 40 days and resumes without drilling or reworking does not terminate the lease. The continuous development clause keeps the lease active, and the cessation clause allows resumed production without triggering termination.
