A few recent cases involving Chesapeake Energy Corporation backing away from potential oil and gas leases are raising alarms. Obviously a contract is only as good as its enforceability. It goes without saying that landowners need to be diligent so that they are not taken advantage of by large oil…
Texas Oil and Gas Attorney Blog
New US Oil and Gas Reserve Estimates
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) released a new estimate last week on the US’s oil and gas reserves. The new estimate for 2012 is part of the Reserve-Growth Assessment Project. It found 32 billion barrels of crude oil, 291 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and 10 billion barrels…
Eminent Domain, Texas Pipelines and Texas Landowners’ Rights: Update on the Denbury Case
The Denbury case was one of the most important developments in Texas oil and gas law in the past year, and this blog reviewed the March, 2012 Texas Supreme Court ruling here. In summary, the Denbury case involves a landowner who objected to a private energy company’s use of the…
Texas Eagle Ford Shale Play is Best Oil and Gas Play in the US!
A new report by IHS Inc., a global information and analysis company, states that Eagle Ford in South Texas is a contender for the best tight oil play in the US. This is based on strong drilling results, a large prospective area and the magnitude of the resource potential. At…
US and Texas Oil and Gas Reserves Grow at Record Pace
A report of the US Energy Information Administration issued within the past few months indicates that horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing in shale have helped US and Texas oil and gas reserves grow at a record pace in 2010. This was the biggest single year increase since the organization began…
Updates on Crimson’s Success in East Texas Oil & Gas Operations
A Houston company, Crimson Exploration Inc., has provided an update on its successful operations in east Texas, including Woodbine, Eagle Ford and other programs. This is important information for the growth of the oil and gas industry in Texas, a crucial component to economic growth and energy independence. Crimson has…
The Beat Goes On: Another Report Questions EPA Fracing Tests
Another study, entitled “Review of EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study Plan“, is questioning the validity of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) data on hydraulic fracturing (“fracing”) and drinking water. The impact of fracing on drinking water has been a hot political topic for a while now, and more and more scientific…
Why You Should Have a Texas Pipeline Attorney Review That Pipeline Easement
The pace of oil and gas pipeline construction in Texas has increased enormously. As a Texas pipeline attorney, I regularly get calls from folks who ask me why they should go to the expense of having an attorney review their pipeline easement before they sign it. Here are the reasons…
Legislation to Assist Oil and Gas Development Faces Dim Future
Before the election, the House of Representatives passed sweeping energy legislation, including HR 4480, in an attempt to facilitate the development of the oil and gas industry. The bill passed by 248 to 163 and its sponsor, Representative Cory Gardner of Colorado, urged the Senate to take up this bill…
More Scare Tactics: EPA Way Off on Fracing Methane Emissions Estimates
There is now even more evidence that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is using politics, and not science, in opposing hydraulic fracturing and the oil and gas industry. A recent survey and report entitled “Characterizing Pivotal Sources of Methane Emissions from Unconventional Natural Gas Production“, done by the American Petroleum…