Title to Oil and Gas Properties
Fundamentally, none of the agreements used in exploration and production are useful unless the ownership of the underlying oil and gas properties can be established to a reasonable certainty. In the domestic industry, historically, ownership has been established through title opinions. Title opinions, whether acquisition, drilling, shut-in royalty, supplemental, division order, unit, or financing opinions are among the more critical documents used to determine ownership of oil, gas and other minerals, and with financing arrangements, to determine the priority of liens. Ted has examined title and prepared opinions in Texas since the beginning of his career, and, in addition, has reviewed opinions prepared by others with the acquisition and divestiture of properties and in financing arrangements.