Texas Oil & Gas Law Fundamentals: Easements

Easements are an important area of practice for any real estate attorney, but they take on an especially prominent role in oil and gas title examination. Clearly, oil companies need to know where easements are located so they can avoid obstructing the easements, causing unnecessary problems with surface owners, or accidentally drilling into a pipeline. However, easements are also extremely important from a title examiner’s perspective.  Many instruments which purport to create easements actually convey strips of land in fee simple. These instruments can be extremely dangerous when an oil company drills within a platted subdivision or near a river.  

Join oil and gas law attorney, Josh Stein, as he provides a broad overview of the nature of easements in Texas and the various aspects of easements which play a prominent role in oil and gas title examination.

Learning Objectives:

I. Understand the nature and types of easements

II. Distinguish between easements and conveyances in fee simple

III. Use the strip and gore doctrine and the centerline principal