Become a Petroleum Land Broker
Petroleum land brokers are highly trained professionals who are experienced in conducting negotiations between land owners and companies desiring to lease their land for oil and gas exploration and production. Negotiation resolves disputes and produces an agreed consensus. Petroleum land brokers often have gained previous knowledge and experience working as land and/or lease techs for oil companies as in-house employees; others come from backgrounds in law or real estate.
Instructions
1. Enroll in a college or university that offers classes in petroleum land brokerage. Oklahoma City University and the University of Houston, for example, offer classes and a structured certification program for petroleum land brokers. Courses are often offered online. To receive Petroleum Land Management certification, you study the history of the oil and gas industry, business and commercial law, negotiation, land management practices, and property and mineral ownership. Coursework focuses on engineering, geophysics and geology for petroleum land management.
2. Enhance your knowledge and credentials by participating in petroleum industry workshops and seminars if you already have a bachelor's or master's degree in geology, law, earth science, real estate management or another petroleum-related field.
3. Gain experience working for an oil company as a title clerk, production analyst or division order analyst. To perform successfully as a petroleum land broker, you must understand the concept of how lease interests are calculated, risk management, nonconsent clauses and the liabilities of lease parties. You must be knowledgeable about basic legal principles regarding contract and title matters, as well as proficient with computers, maps and seismic and survey data.
4. Practice reading, analyzing and interpreting legal descriptions, graphs, professional journals and governmental regulations pertaining to oil and gas exploration. Oil and gas leases are an oil company's most valued asset. Petroleum land brokers preparing and negotiating leases must be knowledgeable of previous localized oil and gas production, land values, damage negotiation for the value of lost crops or income from the land, as well the limits of liability of their client for environmental damages.
5. Review titles of oil-producing properties at your local courthouse. Review recorded oil leases and gain from the experience of others. Practice "running titles" until you're familiar with the various oddities and discrepancies that can surface in clearing a title.
6. Join your local chapter of the American Association of Petroleum Landmen.
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