An important doctrine comes in for clarification at the hands of the Texas Supreme Court On June 21, 2013, the Texas Supreme Court issued its opinion on a case I have written about before, Merriman v. XTO Energy, Inc. The case, centering on the accommodation doctrine, involved a cattle rancher complaining that the location of […]
Special Session, LPC, and Other Unfinished Business
As summer comes on, activity centers on some lingering issues. The Texas Legislature continues to meet in the second Special Session after the first one ended with a crash. In the first Special, they did pass the redistricting bill but funding for transportation died when the session was consumed over the abortion debate. Hopefully, this […]
Pipe: Keeping Pace With an Industry
The simplest implement in the oilfield–a joint of pipe–is not so simple any more, but that’s good for all involved. Edwin Drake started the ball rolling when he designed a method of drilling for oil that used an iron pipe. Since those early days of the oil industry in 1859 when his iron drive pipe […]
When Production gets “Allocated”
The advent of the “Allocation Well” comes with a fresh legal challenge, where horizontal well royalties are concerned. A new Railroad Commission phenomena has developed recently, despite obvious rulings to the contrary. The name? Allocation Wells. Operators that are diving into horizontal drilling may already know all they need to know, but for the rest, […]
In Memoriam: Remembering Mark Merritt
This organization’s chairman, who passed away June 1, was highly thought of by his coworkers, neighbors, friends, family, and PBPA associates. By Jesse Mullins In the scant weeks since the last issue of this magazine appeared, the Permian Basin Petroleum Association lost its chairman, who succumbed to cancer. That loss, though it does not in […]
Charting the Course
Our rundown outlines the main bills that affect(ed) oil and gas in Texas and their status moving forward. Railroad Commission of Texas Sunset HB 1675 Bonnen, Dennis(R) Nichols, Robert(R) Relating to governmental entities subject to the sunset review process. Sunset Safety Net Bill. This is the so-called “Safety Net” bill that provides […]
The 83rd Legislature in Retrospect
Note: At the end of this article, there are Q&A’s with legislators about the legislative session. As the smoke clears on the recently concluded legislative session, Texas’ oil and gas interests can be relieved that nothing too damaging found passage. Still, questions remain and certain issues linger. If there are two things that West Texans […]
Temporary Housing: Taking the Long View
Workforce housing now consists of more than just a Home on the Range. Throughout history, mineral plays have brought floods of people to remote areas that lacked sufficient resources and infrastructure to house, clothe, and feed such hordes. We’re not told how King Solomon housed the workers at his mines at Ophir, but we know […]
News Reviews: Making a Mark
The industry recognizes an innovator; China enters the Wolfcamp; regulators held accountable; and another oil company picks up stakes for the Cline. Mora County in northeastern New Mexico became the first county in the U.S. to pass an ordinance banning hydraulic fracturing. The Los Angeles Times reported that all residents in Mora County depend on […]
What Constitutes Fair Tax Treatment?
contributed by the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants The answer could lie in this–a white paper on legislative proposals to repeal certain tax treatments of domestic oil and gas exploration and development. Introduction The United States is currently experiencing a significant budget deficit with expenditures projected to exceed income by nearly $845 billion for […]
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