Last month’s severe cold weather across the south, particularly Texas, while having immediate impacts on millions of Texas residents, are now beginning to show additional impacts to the energy industry. Millions of Texas residents suffered widespread, lasting power outages, burst water pipes, and other weather-related impacts from the icy weather. The impacts of the severe
Energy
Lyle v. Midway Solar: Shedding Light on the Application of the Accommodation Doctrine in a Dispute Between Owners of Mineral Rights and Solar Rights
The “accommodation doctrine” is a judicially created doctrine that governs the manner in which a mineral owner and surface owner may use the surface of a tract of land for their respective purposes. The mineral estate is considered the “dominant” estate, and is permitted to use so much of the surface as is reasonably necessary…
Tighter pipeline regulations part of second COVID-19 stimulus package
On December 21, 2020 Congress passed the lengthiest piece of legislation in its history—nearly 5600 pages. While most Americans are focused on the provisions of the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021” related to coronavirus response and recovery, it also included provisions that will directly impact pipeline operators.
The “Protecting Our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing…
Not So Inconvenient – Texas Forum Non Conveniens
At the time In re XTO Energy (In re XTO Energy, Inc., 2018 WL 2246216 (Tex. App.-Houston [1st Dist.]) was decided by the 1st Court of Appeal in May of 2018, Texas Appeals Courts had already issued a slew of cases in preceding years that looked very favorably upon defendant forum non conveniens…
Oil and Gas Contract Drafters: Say What You Mean to Say
The drafters of an Assignment of Overriding Royalty Interest in Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company, L. P. v. Texas Crude Energy, LLC did not “say what they meant to say” and received an admonition from the Texas Supreme Court. In Burlington, the Court determined a royalty interest owned by Texas Crude was subject…
Kean Miller Drills Deeper into Texas, Louisiana to Serve Energy, Oil & Gas, and Petrochemical Clients
Kean Miller is growing again, opening offices in The Woodlands, Texas, and Lafayette, Louisiana, by combining with the energy-focused law firm Dupuis & Polozola.
This expansion builds on Kean Miller’s Houston office opening in 2017 and strengthens the firm’s portfolio of legal and business services to energy, oil & gas, and petrochemical industry clients.
The…