LSO-Legal Studies Oil, Gas, & Energy Law

LSO 5112. Foundations of Contract Law for the Energy Industry.2 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Masters of Legal Studies and/or Master of Laws Programs. Explores the formation, drafting, interpretation and enforceability of contractual promises. Subjects include contract formation, performance, termination of contracts, material breach, remedies for breach of contract, mistake and excuse for nonperformance, statute of frauds, interpretation of contract language, conditions, assignment and delegation, and third party beneficiaries. (F, Sp)

LSO 5232. Introduction to Property Law and Natural Resources.2 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Masters of Legal Studies and/or Master of Laws Programs. Provides an introduction to basic property concepts relevant for the oil and gas and energy industries, including: adverse possession; estates in land; mineral title, surface title, co-ownership, non-possessory interests (including easements, real covenants and equitable servitudes). (F, Sp)

LSO 5970. Special Topics/Seminar.1-3 Credit Hours.

1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of instructor. May be repeated; maximum credit nine hours. Special topics or seminar course for content not currently offered in regularly scheduled courses. May include library and/or laboratory research and field projects. (Irreg.)

LSO 6352. Negotiations, Communication, and Ethics.2 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Masters of Legal Studies and/or Master of Laws Programs. Teaches effective negotiation and communication skills through a series of mock negotiation exercises. In addition, this course will discuss ethical dilemmas raised in the oil and gas industry. (F, Sp)

LSO 6501. Introduction to Petroleum Engineering and Geo-Sciences.1 Credit Hour.

Prerequisite: Admission to Masters of Legal Studies and/or Master of Laws Programs. Presents an overview of the production life cycle from discovery to development and production of oil and gas. The course examines the different roles of the key players in each stage of this process. (F, Sp)

LSO 6502. Project Economics and Finance.2 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Masters of Legal Studies and/or Master of Laws Programs. Introduces the economics and finance of capital-intensive projects, especially those involving power generation, public infrastructure, and extractive industries. Students will receive a broad overview of the project finance market, showing a typical project finance deal and the main players involved. The costs, benefits, and risks associated with project finance are also described. (F, Sp)

LSO 6511. Midstream Oil and Gas Law.1 Credit Hour.

Prerequisite: Admission to Masters of Legal Studies and/or Master of Laws Programs. Provides an overview and an examination of the legal issues facing the midstream oil and gas industry. The midstream industry provides the infrastructure necessary to gather, process, transport, store and market crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and refined products. (F, Sp)

LSO 6512. Oil and Gas Law.2 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Masters of Legal Studies and/or Master of Laws Programs. Nature of property interests in oil and gas; conveyancing of interests in oil and gas; legal interests created by oil and gas leases; validity of leases; habendum, drilling, and rental clauses; assignment of interests of lessor and lessee; rents and royalties; and conservation of oil and gas. (F, Sp)

LSO 6513. Oil and Gas Regulatory Practice.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Masters of Legal Studies and/or Master of Laws Programs. Offers a practical skills approach to oil and gas practice. This course will examine the regulation of oil and gas exploration, development, and production, including conservation law designed to prevent waste and protect correlative rights. The class will address securing a drilling permit, settling surface damages, well spacing and density. (F, Sp)

LSO 6522. Legal Drafting.2 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Masters of Legal Studies and/or Master of Laws Programs. How does one discover a client's objectives and then translate them into legal text (contracts, etc.) that has the best chance of accomplishing what the client wants? This skills course considers many different forms of legal drafting, focusing primarily on legal work intended for oil and gas contracts and surface-related agreement drafting. (F, Sp)

LSO 6531. Legal Research for the Energy Industry.1 Credit Hour.

Prerequisite: Admission to Masters of Legal Studies and/or Master of Laws Programs. Students will be instructed on how to conduct energy-related research using a variety of sources, but especially using online resources. (F, Sp)

LSO 6553. Oil and Gas Contracts.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Masters of Legal Studies and/or Master of Laws Programs. Examination of specific provisions in contracts prevalent in the oil and gas industry for exploration, production, and development of oil and gas properties and for investment; the nature of the relationships created by such contracts; the rights and duties of the parties; income tax consequences of particular contracts. (F, Sp)

LSO 6563. Mineral Title Examination.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Masters of Legal Studies and/or Master of Laws Programs. Examines the study of the relevant law relating to and the preparation of a drilling title opinion and a division order title opinion in Oklahoma, Texas, and other states. (F, Sp)

LSO 6572. Real Estate Transactions.2 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Masters of Legal Studies and/or Master of Laws Programs. A study of the terms and legal issues involved in drafting, executing, enforcing, and recording real estate contracts, including obtaining and evaluating title evidence, different types of deeds, and basic financing. (F, Sp)

LSO 6573. Oil & Gas Development of Public Lands.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to the Master of Legal Studies and/or Master of Laws Programs. Examines the oil and gas leasing and development of onshore federal, state, and Indian lands. Explores the leasing of railroad rights of way and lands belonging to local governments. (F, Sp)

LSO 6581. Water Law for the Energy Industry.1 Credit Hour.

Prerequisite: Admission to Masters of Legal Studies and/or Master of Laws Programs. The system of water rights as related for energy extraction and development, including riparian, appropriation, and prescriptive rights; stream, surface, and ground water; transfer and termination of rights; injuries caused by water; development of water supplies; federal-state, interstate, and intrastate conflicts; water pollution control; federal and Indian rights; and federal water resource problems. (F, Sp)

LSO 6592. Oil and Gas Environmental Law.2 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Masters of Legal Studies and/or Master of Laws Programs. Examines federal and state environmental laws that affect oil and gas lease transactions, drilling and completion operations, and production activities. (F, Sp)