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.
The Texas Supreme Court recently granted Coyote Lake Ranch's petition to review an opinion by the Amarillo Court of Appeals in Lubbock v. Coyote Lake Ranch, holding that the "Accommodation Doctrine" does not apply to the relationship between a surface owner and the owner of a...
Texas Case Law Update: On August 5, 2015, the San Antonio Court of Appeals released its opinion in ConocoPhillips Company v. Vaquillas Unproven Minerals, Ltd., (( No. 04-15-00066-CV (San Antonio – August 5, 2015). )) affirming the trial court’s order declaring ConocoPhillips breached two oil and gas leases in Webb County by...
In Anderson Energy Corp. v. Dominion Oklahoma Texas Exploration & Prod., Inc., (( 04-14-00170-CV, 2015 WL 3956212 (Tex. App.—San Antonio June 30, 2015, no. pet. h.) )) the San Antonio Court of Appeals answered the following questions involving a 1977 AAPL JOA, with a printed Pref Right, and a typewritten AMI:...
In a 5-4 decision, the Texas Supreme Court issued its opinion in Chesapeake Exploration, L.L.C. v. Hyder, 14-0302, 2015 WL 3653446 (Tex. June 12, 2015), holding that Chesapeake is prohibited from deducting postproduction costs from an “overriding royalty interest” described in a lease. The Majority noted that while...
In Introduction to Joint Operating Agreements, we reviewed several of the critical roles a JOA can play within the oil and gas industry. One of the first steps to understanding the JOA is to understand the anatomy of its several components. The AAPL Joint Operating Agreement is organized into the...
The 1989 JOA is one of the most common O&G forms. However, updates are need in response to 25 years of case law and continually evolving custom & practice. Introduction As we discussed in the last article pertaining to Oil and Gas Joint Operating Agreements, the JOA is...
