Understanding Your Rights in Midland Oil and Gas Litigation - Texas Attorneys

Midland ranks as one of the top counties in Texas for crude oil and natural gas production. In July 2024, the county produced More than 16.5 million barrels of crude oil and more than 69 million mcf of natural gas, ranking second and third in the state. As a top oil and gas producer, Midland also sees significant litigation involving property owners, drilling companies, and other entities.

Oil and gas litigation is high stakes and complex, requiring legal expertise. The Midland TX lawyers at Carabin Shaw have the necessary experience and knowledge to represent landowners, drillers, and others involved in these disputes, protecting their rights and ensuring fair treatment. If you are involved in litigation or a dispute, contact our team 24/7 at 800-862-1260. We offer free case reviews with English- and Spanish-speaking professionals available to talk to you.

A mineral lease allows the lessee to enter the property and extract the minerals below. The landowner continues to control the surface land, using it for ranching, farming, or another purpose that suits the landowner. The lessee controls the mineral rights but must pay the landowner royalties on the extracted resources. In some cases, landowners also receive a bonus upon execution of the lease.

Leases are complex contracts that often lead to Midland oil and gas disputes. If you are a landowner who believes the lessee isn’t upholding their end of the agreement, you have the right to hold the lessee accountable. An attorney specializing in oil and gas can review your lease and enforce the specifics of the contract to protect your rights and interest in your land.

A split estate is a piece of land where one party owns the surface land, and another owns the underground portions. Split estates are common in Midland, where drilling companies draw up a lease with landowners to extract the rich resources beneath the earth’s surface. Unfortunately, conflicts are also frequent since drilling can impact surface land use.

Mineral rights often prevail over surface land rights on a federal level. However, other federal and state regulations may provide options on who has the upper hand in these conflicts. A lawyer well-versed in Texas oil and gas law can often help landowners preserve their rights to use surface land.

Royalties for extracted minerals often make up a significant portion of a landowner’s income. There is usually substantial money involved so that mistakes can be very costly. In some cases, unethical practices by the driller may lead to reductions in royalty payments, necessitating Midland oil and gas litigation.

Royalty calculation can be extensive, making it difficult for landowners to know if they are getting their fair share. If you have noticed a reduction or complete cessation of royalty payments, contact the team at Carabin Shaw. We will examine all the documentation to determine how much you should get. If you don't receive fair payments, we will protect your rights and go after the money owed to you.

The Texas Railroad Commission regulates Texas's oil and gas industry, ensuring that resource extraction and distribution follow state laws. Our legal team works with the RRC to protect our clients’ rights and ensure they get fair treatment from the drilling industry. For some business disputes, we offer our services on a contingency fee basis, so we don’t charge a fee unless we win your case.

Don’t go up against large drilling companies alone. We will protect your rights in any dispute you may be facing. Reviews from previous clients attest to our commitment to our clients. Contact us toll-free now at 800-862-1260

For more information:

• RRC
• Statutes Capitol Texas
• RRC