Introduction to Energy Law

1 unit

This 1 unit Intersession course will examine the energy industry and its legal practices, unique regulations and future. We will explore the history of energy law dating back to the discovery of oil in the United States, the property and contract laws that developed due the bifurcation of property interests, the types of energy production and the trend toward cleaner energy resources, import and export of energy, and the practice of energy law . Included are concepts as to the nature of a landowner's interest in oil and gas; the creation and duration of mineral leases; the oil and gas lease and rights and obligations created thereby; production payments and division orders; pooling and unitization; ethics; basic taxation; pollution liability; rights and duties between mineral and surface owners; protection of interests in oil and gas properties against trespassers and wrongful claimants; agreements among oil companies, including lease assignments, farmouts and joint operating agreements; and issues concerned with raising funds for oil and gas projects. Trending legal issues in traditional agreements, which were drafted in the context of vertical wells, in order to conform them to horizontal drilling and fracking operations. Environmental issues including those raised by fracking, fossil fuels and the struggles of implementation of clean energy in the United States. Various regulations of drilling and production will also be covered. Students are expected to thoroughly read any course materials and be well prepared prior to the start of the class. Class attendance is mandatory.