Fall is shaping up as a critical time for our industry, where regulatory policy-making is concerned. Companies are advised to be ready to express themselves on proposed changes when the opportunities arise. As summer rolls on and the Legislature reconvenes for transportation issues, planning is underway in Austin for a series of regulatory and legislative […]
From the Chairman: New Mexico’s New Directions
The Land of Enchantment is “open for business” with ground rules that are clear and reasonable – and maybe even deserving of consideration beyond New Mexico’s borders. Just when you thought the political season was over (the 3rd special session is still in progress in Austin as I write), the campaign season is upon us. […]
“Accommodation” Revisited
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 […]
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 […]
From the President: Getting There
Legislative sessions have their way of creating their own realities. “You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there.” —Yogi Berra When we began the Legislative session, re-authorizing the Railroad Commission, funding our water and transportation infrastructure needs and improving the state’s response to […]
From the General Counsel: The Point of Valuation
In New Mexico, a challenge to a lower court’s decision has caused the state’s Supreme Court to take a longer look at what it means to pay a lessor an established portion of the “net proceeds” from the sale of gas. More than a few months ago I wrote about the Commissioner of Public Lands […]
From the Chairman: Wrangling Over Water
Various camps that are unfriendly to oil and gas are making water their point of contention. Water. It is a hot topic in Texas now, with drought concerns and high demands coming from many directions. Although hydraulic fracturing accounts for less than 2 percent of statewide water use, hydraulic fracturing and the economic prosperity of […]
From the General Counsel: “Just Compensation” Could be “For the Taking”
House Bill 1496, if passed, could bring a new twist to the old workings of eminent domain. Most operators have probably come across that one local municipality that is such a pain to deal with, due to regulations and restrictions imposed upon drilling activities, that the better option seems to be avoidance of such an […]
From the President: Cooperation is the Key
As I write this, the Texas legislature is at its peak of activity and PBPA is right in the middle of it. Before I discuss the latest legislative activities, I want to give credit to a Texas state agency. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), an agency who has had its fair share of […]
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