Landman (oil worker)
Encyclopedia
In the United States
and Canada
, a Landman or "Petroleum Landman" is an individual who performs various services for oil
and gas exploration companies. According to the website of the American Association of Petroleum Landmen (www.landman.org), these services include: negotiating for the acquisition or divestiture of mineral rights; negotiating business agreements that provide for the exploration for and/or development of minerals; determining ownership in minerals through the research of public and private records; reviewing the status of title, curing title defects and otherwise reducing title risk associated with ownership in minerals; managing rights and/or obligations derived from ownership of interests in minerals; and unitizing or pooling of interests in minerals.
Since the services provided by the "Landman" to the oil and gas exploration industry and other industries are so varied it is not uncommon for a "Landman" to specialize in certain aspects of the profession that requires specific knowledge, such as title and lease negotiations and acquisition, onshore/offshore contracts, rights-of-way and surface land management, federal lands, and numerous other areas. The term "Landman" and nuances thereof also apply to women who practice the land management profession although a larger majority of practitioners continue to be men.
Numerous other industries, in addition to the petroleum industry, often require the skills and expertise of the Landman, one of which is the wind industry. Wind development requires the locating of surface sites for turbines, determining surface ownership, negotiating lease agreements, and has many other similarities of duties performed by the "Petroleum Landman". Telecommunications, mining, pipeline, power and transportation are just a few of the other industries that frequently engage the Landman's services. The terms, landman and right of way agent, are often used interchangeably; however, their duties often vary significantly.
Examples of well known individuals that began their career or worked as a Landman include the following: Former United States president, George W. Bush
, the father of oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens, CEO of Chesapeake Energy, Aubrey McClendon
, and Founder of Marlin Energy, Derrick Maurer.
A particular degree is often not required of someone interested in becoming a landman, however it is favored. Few universities offer a Petroleum Land Management degree but The University of Oklahoma, The University of Tulsa, the University of Louisiana Lafayette and Texas Tech University are among those that do offer this degree. The first and largest Petroleum Land Management program was created in 1958 at The University of Oklahoma. It has since been re-branded as the "Energy Management Program". The AACSB International Southwestern Business Deans Association honored the program with The Most Innovative in Excellence Award for Curriculum Design. (http://www.ou.edu/content/price/management_entrepreneurship/energy_management/bba.html)
Compensation and/or salary varies and is dependent on many factors such as experience, geographic location and the number of qualified landmen available in a given area. Many lawyers are practicing landmen and landmen/oil and gas attorneys. Due to the collapse in energy prices in the late 1980s which lasted for nearly two decades, in the early 2000s, most landmen that survived the past couple of decades were now retiring and most universities and colleges that offered petroleum land management degrees no longer did so. The resulting attrition combined with the spike in energy prices in the mid 2000's reversed the trends of earlier years and created a significant shortage of available landmen. The subsequent global financial collapse in the late 2000s once again reversed the boom and employment opportunities will likely continue its cyclical nature for years to come.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, a Landman or "Petroleum Landman" is an individual who performs various services for oil
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
and gas exploration companies. According to the website of the American Association of Petroleum Landmen (www.landman.org), these services include: negotiating for the acquisition or divestiture of mineral rights; negotiating business agreements that provide for the exploration for and/or development of minerals; determining ownership in minerals through the research of public and private records; reviewing the status of title, curing title defects and otherwise reducing title risk associated with ownership in minerals; managing rights and/or obligations derived from ownership of interests in minerals; and unitizing or pooling of interests in minerals.
Since the services provided by the "Landman" to the oil and gas exploration industry and other industries are so varied it is not uncommon for a "Landman" to specialize in certain aspects of the profession that requires specific knowledge, such as title and lease negotiations and acquisition, onshore/offshore contracts, rights-of-way and surface land management, federal lands, and numerous other areas. The term "Landman" and nuances thereof also apply to women who practice the land management profession although a larger majority of practitioners continue to be men.
Numerous other industries, in addition to the petroleum industry, often require the skills and expertise of the Landman, one of which is the wind industry. Wind development requires the locating of surface sites for turbines, determining surface ownership, negotiating lease agreements, and has many other similarities of duties performed by the "Petroleum Landman". Telecommunications, mining, pipeline, power and transportation are just a few of the other industries that frequently engage the Landman's services. The terms, landman and right of way agent, are often used interchangeably; however, their duties often vary significantly.
Examples of well known individuals that began their career or worked as a Landman include the following: Former United States president, George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, the father of oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens, CEO of Chesapeake Energy, Aubrey McClendon
Aubrey McClendon
Aubrey Kerr McClendon is the chief executive officer, chairman, and co-founder of Chesapeake Energy Corporation . He is an outspoken advocate for natural gas as a cleaner and safer alternative to oil and coal fuels...
, and Founder of Marlin Energy, Derrick Maurer.
A particular degree is often not required of someone interested in becoming a landman, however it is favored. Few universities offer a Petroleum Land Management degree but The University of Oklahoma, The University of Tulsa, the University of Louisiana Lafayette and Texas Tech University are among those that do offer this degree. The first and largest Petroleum Land Management program was created in 1958 at The University of Oklahoma. It has since been re-branded as the "Energy Management Program". The AACSB International Southwestern Business Deans Association honored the program with The Most Innovative in Excellence Award for Curriculum Design. (http://www.ou.edu/content/price/management_entrepreneurship/energy_management/bba.html)
Compensation and/or salary varies and is dependent on many factors such as experience, geographic location and the number of qualified landmen available in a given area. Many lawyers are practicing landmen and landmen/oil and gas attorneys. Due to the collapse in energy prices in the late 1980s which lasted for nearly two decades, in the early 2000s, most landmen that survived the past couple of decades were now retiring and most universities and colleges that offered petroleum land management degrees no longer did so. The resulting attrition combined with the spike in energy prices in the mid 2000's reversed the trends of earlier years and created a significant shortage of available landmen. The subsequent global financial collapse in the late 2000s once again reversed the boom and employment opportunities will likely continue its cyclical nature for years to come.
External links
- Wyoming Association of Professional Landmen
- Los Angeles Association of Professional Landmen
- Oklahoma City Association of Professional Landmen
- Nevada Professional Landmen's Association
- Montana Association of Professional Landmen
- U.S. Bureau of Land Management
- The University of Oklahoma: Price College: Energy Management
- Dan Orbeck & Associates - Professional Land Services