Protect Your Rights with Help from a Houston Oil & Gas Attorney
Questions and disputes can arise frequently when individuals or business owners are unaware of their rights. If you are a property owner and have discovered that oil and gas operations are being conducted in your vicinity, you may have certain rights. Depending on your unique circumstances, you may have mineral rights or surface ownership rights.
Mineral rights and surface rights are two distinct legal rights that may or may not be owned by the same person. Both mineral rights and surface rights will play distinct roles in property interest valuation. Although the two types of rights are distinct, the relationship between the two plays a crucial role in oil and gas development. To ensure that your rights are protected, consult a skilled oil and gas lawyer from Herring Law Firm.
Understanding Your Mineral Estate Rights
Regardless of whether the mineral rights and surface ownership are held by one person or whether the rights have been severed, Texas state law maintains that mineral rights are dominant over surface ownership rights. This essentially means that the owner of the mineral rights can make legal decisions involving the following:
- Using the surface estate for the benefit of the mineral estate
- Using the surface for the purpose of exploring or producing oil and gas
- Conducting seismic tests, drilling wells at locations, entering and exiting well sites and other facilities
- Building, maintaining, and using roads for access to and from well sites and facilities
- Drilling and operating injection wells to enhance lease recovery
- Disposing of lease-produced water
- Building and using pipelines to serve wells and facilities on the leased premises for drilling, production, and operation
Speak to Herring Law Firm About Leasing Your Mineral Rights
Property owners have the opportunity to lease or sell their mineral rights. Whatever your concern may be, speak with an experienced East Houston Oil and Gas Attorney from Herring Law Firm. The firm has helped past clients establish, sever, and assert their rights as mineral owners. If you need assistance with your mineral rights, Attorney Mason Herring can be trusted to help resolve your issues through various means, including litigation.