Land and Mineral Title
At Beatty & Wozniak, P.C. our attorneys understand the complexities and cost sensitivities associated with land and mineral title, and we work closely with our energy industry clients to ensure that we provide accurate, timely, and cost-effective legal services. The decades of experience of the title team of Beatty & Wozniak, P.C. ensures that we meet or exceed our clients’ expectations. From the preparation of acquisition, drilling, division order, and financing title opinions to time-constrained due diligence projects, the depth and breadth of the title team of Beatty & Wozniak, P.C. ensures that we can help you with your land and mineral title needs.
We have a team of diverse and experienced energy attorneys who have dedicated their practices to complex title examinations and the timely and efficient resolutions of title-related issues that impact our clients’ day-to-day energy development goals. Our lawyers are admitted to practice and have conducted title examinations and due diligence review in Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming, covering fee lands, federal lands, state lands, and tribal lands.
Our Wealth of Experience
Many of our attorneys have prior experience as field landmen, while others have worked in the land departments of major and independent oil and gas companies, consultants to renewable energy companies, or as in-house counsel. One thing we all have in common is dedication and commitment to the energy industry and to providing great legal service to our clients.
Our attorneys offer title opinions for drilling, division order, surface rights-of-way, asset acquisition, and financing. We have prepared thousands of title opinions, so our institutional knowledge of real property title issues is second to none.
Our Legal Services and Counsel
Our title group works closely with landmen, lease brokers, and abstractors to provide a high-quality, cost-effective product as efficiently as possible. We adapt to the needs of our clients by having the flexibility to undertake the following approaches as requested:
- Working from landman abstracts
- Accessing virtual courthouses or other databases provided by the client or third party
- Using our extensive industry contacts to obtain timely abstracting and related title services on behalf of our clients
- Conducting stand-up examinations in a county courthouse, BLM office, or state land office to meet tight deadlines
We understand the fluid nature of drilling and land development schedules as well as the time constraints necessary for compliance with permitting parameters or expiring leases. Our deep bench of title attorneys allows us to prioritize work to meet our clients’ schedules, even with time sensitive changes. Additionally, because of our industry experience, we are able to counsel our clients on various environmental issues related to drilling and energy development operations on fee, federal, state and tribal lands throughout the western United States.
Our team can provide timely answers on these and other critical issues:
- Federal exploratory units
- Pooling and communitization agreements
- Riparian ownership issues
- Railroad and other rights-of-way
- Horizontal drilling and trespass issues
- Siting of drilling and development facilities in compliance with existing agreements
In every case, we help ensure that our clients understand how to comply with the rules and regulations of the various governmental agencies having jurisdiction over drilling and development operations.
Due Diligence
The acquisition of oil and gas and other energy-related properties is a delicate act of balancing moving parts, including the following:
- The negotiation of agreements
- Document preparation
- Title due diligence
- Title curative
- Post-closing responsibilities
Our experienced team of attorneys uses an established system to quickly identify and accomplish all of the necessary tasks, which enables our clients to consistently close their transactions with a level of assurance that the properties are as represented by the seller. With offices in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, we have the capability to provide an immediate response to our clients’ due diligence needs.
Our team of title and due diligence attorneys has been involved in many successful due diligence projects including the acquisition and development of the following:
- Oil and gas wells and properties
- Midstream gathering systems
- Helium and other non-hydrocarbon energy development projects
- Processing plants
- A natural gas-fired, combined-cycle cogeneration facility
- Commercial solar photovoltaic projects
- Industrial warehousing
Regardless of the asset, our attorneys have the experience and expertise to perform expedited due diligence reviews to help our clients identify the title issues, how to the resolve and cure the title issues, and the risks associated with the acquisition.
Beatty & Wozniak, P.C.’s experienced due diligence team is able to analyze our clients’ purchase and sales agreements, work with companies to determine what level of title review of the assets may be necessary to that specific acquisition and identify the most efficient document review process. Our title attorneys and paralegals can then respond quickly to review those title documents, pay statements, lease purchase agreements and other documentation necessary to ensure that the assets being purchased are free of title defects or within our client’s acceptable business risk parameter.
Renewable Energy and Siting
The integration of renewable and non-traditional energy development into our nation’s infrastructure has brought new opportunities for energy companies. Our team has advised clients on the legal aspects of multiple types of energy development projects, including wind, water, and solar. In addition, we have negotiated rights-of-way or leases for the siting of energy generation facilities and transmission lines, and counseled clients to ensure their operations are compliant with the ever-changing regulatory framework of the industry.
Request A Consultation
Reach us by phone at 303-407-4499 or complete an online form to schedule a meeting with an attorney.