Lease agreements between landowners and oil and gas companies are common in Texas. While most find the relationship to be extremely beneficial, there are times when oil and gas lease disputes require the help of a skilled lawyer. A dispute over an oil and gas lease can greatly affect the profitability of an energy venture. The lawyers at Burford Perry LLP offer extensive experience in resolving oil and gas lease disputes. We focus on achieving solutions that are acceptable and workable while always protecting our clients’ rights.
While most Texas landowners value what is on top of the land, oil and gas companies value what is below the surface of the land. When landowners lease their land to oil and gas companies while retaining surface ownership in return for royalties on the oil and gas production, the parties can end up in a lease dispute.
Oil and gas leases should lead to a mutually beneficial relationship between landowners and oil and gas companies. There are a variety of circumstances that can give rise to oil and gas lease disputes. Some of the most common disputes occur when either the landowner or the oil and gas company fails to uphold the lease terms. Both the landowner and the oil and gas company owe duties to each other. Lease disputes happen when either the landowner or the leasing company fail to live up to their duties under the lease agreement.
Common duties oil and gas companies owe to landowners include:
Except in narrow circumstances, the surface owner does not have the right to participate in or control the development of the minerals on the property. By leasing the land, oil and gas companies have a right to:
Resolving an oil and gas lease dispute is not an easy matter. The written lease agreement will serve as the legal document to clarify any disagreements. A lease dispute can involve a number of different issues that all need to be resolved at once. These cases are complicated and require the assistance of an experienced oil and gas attorney. While some oil and gas lease disputes can be resolved through careful negotiations and settlements, other disputes will have to go through court or arbitration proceedings to reach a resolution. Regardless of how a lease dispute is resolved, the parties involved need strong legal representation.
The attorneys at Burford Perry LLP have worked with both landowners and oil and gas companies to resolve lease disputes. Our lawyers have over 55 years of combined experience helping resolve oil and gas lease disputes. We can evaluate existing agreements and represent you in negotiations or litigation to get the best possible outcome.