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About the Professional Land Management Certificate Program

The Professional Land Management Certificate Program developed by the University of Houston-Downtown with assistance from Petroleum Education Workshops returned January, 2010. Since the program’s return, approximately 350 individuals have completed the program as of September 2012. The demand has been so strong that an online professional Land Management Certificate Program began September 1, 2011.

A new cycle of courses for the face-to-face PLM Certificate begins July 11, 2013. The cycle of six courses for the online program begins September 3, 2013. Be part of the either program by registering today. Registration is in process for the remaining courses. Demand is high, so register for online classes and pay today. Don’t be left out!

Individuals enrolled in the program prior to the interruption of service should rest assured that your prior classes will count toward the PLM certificate. If you have completed prior PLM certificate program courses, see the course conversion chart.

To determine which classes are needed to complete the PLM certificate, please send an email to PLM@uhd.edu noting your interest in completing the certificate and we will contact you with an assessment of your current status noting the classes needed to complete the program.

Register for Online Courses! Register for Face-2-Face Courses Here!

Prospective Students: If you would like to sign up for e-mail alerts on PLM course information, sign up here.

General Information

The Professional Land Management Program is for those persons desiring to pursue a career in Petroleum Land related activities. The program is designed for landmen, lease and title analysts, attorneys, and others involved in supporting exploration and development activities. The curriculum consists of six courses which will provide our graduates with the skills necessary to augment their career in land management.

 

Each course will provide 24 hours of in-class instruction. Students are expected to be present for at least 20 of the 24 hours of instruction. To successfully complete each course, the student must achieve a passing grade on a competency exam given each Friday afternoon. If needed, the student will have several opportunities to demonstrate competency for each course. Once the student has demonstrated competency for all six courses, the Petroleum Landman Certificate will be awarded. The courses within this certificate program can be used for continuing education credits for the American Association of Petroleum Landmen recertification.

 

This program was developed in response to inquiries regarding developmental courses for persons involved in the petroleum industry but lacking formal training in land management skills. The program attempts to bridge the education gap for those persons wanting exposure to University quality instruction on a condensed basis without the pressure of exams.

 

The PLM faculty is composed of known experts in their field and they are either current UHD faculty members or industry professionals with several years of experience in their specialty working with Petroleum Education Workshops.

Mail to:	Direct questions to:
Director of Energy Management UHD 320 North Main Street, Suite 410J Houston, TX 77002-1014	MMBA Administrative Office PLM@uhd.edu 713-221-5015

See what a potential landman can earn in the field, click here to read about Jan/Feb 2012 AAPL compensation study.

Schedule and COurses

Class Schedule For 2013 (Face-to-Face)

The six course program consists of the following:

2013 Dates	Course Name
Jan 10-11 Jan 17-18	Introduction to Petroleum Land Management
Feb 7-8 Feb 21-22	Property and Mineral Ownership for Petroleum Land Management
Mar 7-8 Mar 21-22	Petroleum Land Management Practices
Apr 11-12 Apr 18-19	Basic Contracts used in Petroleum Land Management
May 9-10 May 16-17	Calculating Oil & Gas Interests
Jun 13-14 Jun 20-21	Negotiating Skills and Techniques
*Dates are tentative and subject to change without notice
Jul 11-12 Jul 18-19	Introduction to Petroleum Land Management
Aug 8-9 Aug 15-16	Property and Mineral Ownership for Petroleum Land Management
Sep 12-13 Sep 26-27	Petroleum Land Management Practices
Oct 10-11 Oct 17-18	Basic Contracts used in Petroleum Land Management
Nov 7-8 Nov 14-15	Calculating Oil & Gas Interests
Dec 5-6 Dec 12-13	Negotiating Skills and Techniques

 

Class Times

Thursday nights 5:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m. AND Fridays from 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Register here.

Cost and Registration

Each Face-2-Face course is $550. This price includes the textbook and/or workbooks needed for each individual class. You cannot register for a course once course has started.

Cancellation/Refund Policy

Ten (10) business days are required for rescheduling or canceling any class in order to receive a full refund minus a processing fee of $50. Cancellations or reschedules under ten (10) business days from the class start date will result in no refund but the amount can be applied to another class. Any and all fees paid toward classes cancelled by University of Houston - Downtown will be promptly refunded or applied to a later class date at the customer’s discretion. All registrations will be confirmed.

Scope of the Certificate Program

To receive the Professional Land Management Certificate, the following six courses must be completed:

 

• Introduction to Petroleum Land Management
• Property and Mineral Ownership for Petroleum Land Management
• Negotiating Skills and Techniques
• Petroleum Land Management Practices
• Basic Contracts and Agreements used in Petroleum Land Management
• Calculating Oil & Gas Interests

Description of Each Course

 

INTRODUCTION TO PETROLEUM LAND MANAGEMENT

This class focuses on a methodical approach in laying the foundational principles for oil and gas land management.

Major Topics covered:

1. Careers in Petroleum Land Industry
2. Land is the basis of all wealth
3. Mineral and Royalty Ownership
4. The Oil and Gas Lease
5. Pooling, Utilization, Exploration & Drilling a well
6. Laws for Oil and Gas
7. Legal Descriptions

PROPERTY AND MINERAL OWNERSHIP FOR PETROLEUM LAND MANAGEMENT

Understanding property and mineral ownership and the transferring of title is critical for all those working in petroleum land management. This course takes an in-depth and thorough look at the subject.

Major Topics covered:

1. Types of Owners and Ownerships
2. Statutory Estates
3. Rules surrounding Mineral & Royalty Ownership and Conveying Property
4. Types of conveyances, testate and intestate succession
5. Types of title transfers from court actions
6. Curing Land Titles
7. Laws governing oil and gas ownership and development

 

NEGOTIATING SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES

An essential skill for landmen is negotiating. A Landman must know how to prepare for successful negotiations, whether it’s a lease, or a basic contract, or other legal documents. Success often requires having an understanding of not only industry-specific information, but also the application of different approaches and techniques in negotiations to enable one to achieve the best end result. Applicable laws and ethical considerations will also be discussed as a part of the negotiating process.

Major Topics covered:

1. Types of Negotiations
2. Strategic Planning
3. Communication & Power
4. Ethics and Legal Issues
5. Multiple Parties
6. International Negotiation

 

BASIC CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS USED IN PETROLEUM LAND MANAGEMENT

The oil and gas industry uses a number of unique contractual arrangements to explore for, develop, produce, and market oil and gas. This interactive course not only takes a detailed look at these contracts but allow the students an opportunity to negotiate and draft several of the contracts that are vital to the industry.

Major Topics covered:

1. Essence of Contracts
2. Types of Agreements-Seismic, Confidentiality, Joint Venture, Letter Agreements, Area of Mutual Interest Agreements etc.
3. Oil and Gas Lease
4. Surface Contracts
5. The Joint Operating Agreement
6. Unit Agreements and Unit Operating Agreements
7. Farmout

 

PETROLEUM LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

This class focuses on the process of Petroleum Land Management. There are many steps that take place from start to finish. This class is designed to help the student understand the process and take each step in proper order.

Major topics covered:

1. Trends & Issues in US
2. Ethics for Petroleum Land Professional
3. Surface Owners & Surface Agreements
4. Acquisition of Oil & Gas Lease – Negotiations & Amendments
5. Examining Courthouse Records
6. Seismic Study Interpretation
7. Curing Land Titles
8. Regulatory Commission Work
9. Well Proposal

 

CALCULATING OIL & GAS INTERESTS

A producing oil or gas well may produce millions of dollars in revenue and have scores of owners who are entitled to receive their portion of the revenue from production. Understanding the principles of calculating these oil and gas interests is a vital component for the land management professional. Each calculation may be tied to key clauses in the oil and gas lease or language associated with other agreements. 

Major topics Covered:

1. Rules of Conveyances
2. RI, GWI & NRI
3. Calculating Burdens & interests
4. Calculating Federal & Beneficial Interest Units
5. Before & After Payout Calculations
6. Oklahoma Proportionate Production Calculations
7. Calculating Inflated interests

FAQ

Do you offer online professional land management classes?  I don't live in Houston and would prefer online classes if possible?

Yes, you will be able to register and pay for online classes. Click on "Online Courses" tab for more information.

Is this certificate program approved by AAPL or HAPL?

The classes can receive continuing education credits from AAPL.

Is it necessary to take the Intro class first? Or can it be taken at the end to complete the 6 courses?

You do not have to complete the six courses in order. If you pass the course exam you move forward to the next class. There are six courses to complete the certificate program.

Is it possible that some of the classes towards the Certificate will not be required due to my education and experience?

Unfortunately, we do not offer waivers to classes based upon education or experience. To obtain the certificate, a person must successfully complete all six courses; no exceptions.

Can I get Financial Aid/FAFSA for this certification course?

No. Our certification is a part of continuing education program. Financial Aids are offered for the academic courses.

Outside textbooks are any other class materials provided?

All class materials are provided to the student for the course.  These materials include textbooks, e-books and workbooks only.

What is the face-to-face class size and mix of students?

The class size has ranged from 35-50.  This is not an academic course; there are no graduate or undergraduate students in the class.  All students are professionals either starting or already working in the land management field. 

What is the difference between a PLM and a CPL?

The CPL is a certification that one would receive from AAPL (the American Association of Professional Landmen).  This certification is granted after a person meets certain requirements from AAPL (length of years working in the industry, passing the CPL exam, etc.)  If you go to their website, you can get more specific info on this.  The PLM is a Certification that you would get from the University.  It is not a degree but a Certification. 

Do you recommend this program to new entrants to the industry? What opportunities are available for people with little or no experience who obtain the PLM certification?

The program is designed to equip people for several types of jobs that might be available in the land management field, including: field landmen, land brokers, in-house landmen, land techs, division order analysts and lease records analysts. Since the program is still in its beginning stages, we do not know the ultimate value of the program for career enhancement but we have received a handful of testimonials from students who have improved their careers as a direct or indirect result of taking the classes.

From the beginning, the program received support from many oil and gas companies in the Houston area and a number of attendees were encouraged to come or were sent by their managers. Others have enrolled simply because they felt the value of the certification would add credibility for either changing their career or career advancement.

The oil and gas industry has suffered alongside most every other industry in the last couple of years. Hiring has been off; however, there are still companies hiring. In most cases, the hiring freezes we saw a year ago are no longer in place. There are several jobs available in Houston today and in certain parts of the country the oil and gas industry is booming. But if everything were equal between two individuals looking for a job in the land field except one had taken the course and the other had not, I believe the job would go to the one who had taken the course. See what a potential landman can earn in the field, click here to read about Jan/Feb 2012 AAPL compensation study.

My bachelors degree has nothing to do with PLM, but I have spent the last two years working for an oil and gas company. So I understand a little about the oilfield. I understand that I could sign up for the next class but since I have no experience with PLM I feel I would be lost. I would rather start at the beginning in 2012. What jobs, in land management, would a person like me be most likely to get having a bachelors and no experience?

The University program was designed so that a person could begin at any point.  Although taking the first class first does make some sense.  However, if you have had 2 years working as a field landman, I don't think you would be as lost as you might think. 

There are no guarantees with our certificate program; however, companies in the Houston area are increasingly seeing the value of the program.  Last week, I received information about a student's promotion from land tech to Jr. Landman because of the program.  This morning we received a phone call from a lady at Chevron who wants to come to our classes this week for recruiting purposes.  I personally think the program would be worth the time and effort for someone wanting to change or advance their career.  

The program is designed to support the following job positions: field broker, in-house landman, lease administrator, division order analyst,  and/or land assistant.  Of course there are may aspects to landing a job.  Experience is only one of those aspects.  Taking our classes coupled with your past experience place you in a good position.  Those who complete the course should be able to hold their heads high during the interviewing process.  That would be true for any of the titles I listed. 

With the certification, what are the job placement rates for UHD specifically?

My name is Terrill Williams and I am the instructor for the program.  We do not have any hard statistics on this issue, however, I continue to hear of students being hired after attendance.  Yesterday, I heard about three students that graduated last month who are now working in the industry.  I was talking to a young lady who is enrolled and she told me that the only reason she was hired was because she was taking the classes.  She also said her CEO had sent an email to all of the their land and land administration employees stating that everyone of them should go through the program.  Over the course of the program, a handful of companies have approached me because they wanted to be able to look at, interview, and potentially hire students from the program.  This all sounds great and we are very pleased.  However, there are no guarantees and we can not act as a placement agency but the university does have resources available for such things as resume writing, cover letter writing, interviewing skills.  These are all free of charge.  As the instructor, I also want to see students placed, so I do try, if possible, to help individuals meet their goals. 

I am currently taking the PLM courses and not in the industry. Are there any resources available to assist me in career placement?

Yes, please visit www.uhd.edu/career/search. There are workshops available though out the week and some Fridays. The website has resume and cover letter handouts that you might find helpful. Some services, such as individual appointments with career counselors are not available at this time.

What happens if I fail a course?

The student will have to re-register and pay full amount to make up course and receive a passing grade in order to accept a PLM Certificate.

I already registered for face-to-face classes and now I am interested in taking online classes. Can I switch over and what is the process?

Yes, if you already registered and paid for the face-to-face classes, and classes have not started, contact the ABTC office at 713-221-8032. A refund will be issued, keep in mind that the online courses are priced differently than face-to-face courses. You will have to re-register and pay for the online class.

I registered and paid for the online class. How will I get books and course information?

You will receive an email verifying your registration information (name, email address, mailing address, etc.). If the mailing address is correct, the book will be shipped to you before the first day of class. You will also receive an email from plm@uhd.edu with username and account information to access your online class. If you have not received your textbook or email by the first Monday of the month, please call our office at 713-221-8179.

Do I need to pass the Introduction class before I can take the next course?

No, the registration deadlines will overlap with course schedules, so you may be taking the Introduction class, and still register and pay for the next course, Property and Mineral Ownership for Petroleum Land Management. If you fail a course, then you will have to re-register and pay to repeat it.

What is the nature of the online course?

The online program contains several elements including text books, short video clips, assignments, projects, working in teams, online discussions and quizzes.  One of six classes is offered each month and each class is divided into four week segments.  So, each week of the class, the student must progress through the items previously listed.

If I miss a face-to-face session, can I make-up the material I missed online?

No. If you registered for a face-to-face course and miss a particular session, you cannot make-up the missed material online.  You will need to provide a credible reason for why you missed the session to the Associate Dean of the College, Dr Forrest Aven. If the missed session is deemed excusable, then you will be allowed to attend the next face-to-face session on the material you missed when the course is next offered. Generally, there is a six month wait between courses offered face-to-face. If the reason you missed is not excusable, you will forfeit the amount paid and you will need to reregister for the course and pay the existing course fee the next time it is offered to complete the course.

I do not like the online learning environment for the course I for which I have registered; can I switch to the face-to-face course?

No. You must complete the course in the mode of learning for which you registered. You can register for a face-to-face course for the next course. But, you cannot attend a face-to-face course and have that course count for the online course for which you registered. If you start an online course, you must finish the course online. If you start a face-to-face course you must finish the course face-to-face.

Can I take one course online and another course (different) face-to-face?

Yes. You can mix-n-match online and face-to-face courses to complete your certificate. However, if you register for a face-to-face course you must finish it as a face-to-face course and likewise with online courses. The bottom line, you must finish the course in the mode of learning for which you registered.

For the online version of the PLM Certificate program do the courses require that you be logged on during certain hours or can you complete the course in the evenings in your own time?

The online courses will not require students to be logged in at a certain time or day. Online courses follow a consistent weekly work routine. You can complete your lesson during the week when it is convenient for you, as long as you keep pace with your course’s weekly schedule and meet your instructor’s due dates.

How do I obtain a receipt to submit to my employer for reimbursement?

Any kind of payment or receipt questions can be directed to ABTC, Johnny Nguyen, 713-221-8032.

 

Bios

Terrill Williams is the founder and owner of Petroleum Education Workshops LLC, a leading educational and training center for the oil and gas industry. He is a well known speaker, instructor, and educator in the oil and gas industry—having a career that has spanned over 35 years where he has worked, in the trenches, both in land and land administration. His unique instruction, resource materials, and training style reach hundreds of land professionals each year.  Terrill is also the primary instructor at the University of Houston-Downtown for their Petroleum Land Management Certificate Program.

Terrill has authored several books and articles including: Probate, Descent and Distribution, Calculating your Division of Interest, and Becoming a Guardian of your Company’s Assets - Mastering the Oil & Gas Lease. He is currently working on a series of oil and gas related books and articles with other landmen, land administration professionals and oil and gas attorneys.

 

Alan H. Morgan, CPL was born in Dayton, Ohio and raised in Dallas. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in Government in December 1975 and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Petroleum Land Management in December 1977. Alan began his career as a Landman with Texaco Inc. and subsequently worked as a Landman and in management positions for Border Exploration Company, Mesa Petroleum Co., International Oil & Gas Corporation, Access Exploration Corp. and Remora Oil Company.
Alan served as an adjunct professor in the Petroleum Land Management Program at the University of Houston-Downtown. He served in numerous positions in the Houston Association of Professional Landmen, including President, 1990-1991 and was recognized as the 1988 HAPL Outstanding Landman. Alan also served the American Association of Professional Landmen as Second Vice President, Director and Chairman of the Publications, Education and Ad Hoc Computer Committees. Alan was recognized with the 1989 AAPL Education Award and 1994 Special Award.

As Chairman of the AAPL Independent Contractor Committee, Alan was responsible for legislation to amend the Unemployment Compensation Act in Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Colorado, North Dakota and Montana to recognize the independent contractor status of Independent Landmen. His committee was also responsible for commissioning a survey of the membership by KMPG Peat Marwich to recognize the industry practice of treating Independent Landmen as independent contractors.

As Assistant Chairman of the AAPL Education Committee, Alan developed a presentation “Internet Resources for Land Professionals.” Internet tools that Alan identifies revolutionize the manner in which Land Professionals traditionally perform their functions He was recognized as the 2001 AAPL Landman of the Year for his efforts.

Alan is a Distinguished Member of Who’s Who in the South and Southwest, Who’s Who in America and Strathmore’s Who’s Who. He is a Texas Real Estate Broker, Little League Basketball and Baseball Coach and an avid racquetball and poker player.

Sara Jansen Perry has been on faculty at the University of Houston-Downtown in the College of Business since 2009. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Houston in Industrial-Organizational psychology and before that, worked as an sales engineer in the information technology industry. She teaches negotiation courses for undergraduates and continuing education programs, in both online and face-to-face formats. She also teaches other management courses at the undergraduate level, including Principles of Management and Managing Groups and Teams. She is active in research, and particularly enjoys studying the role of stress in the work and non-work domains. She has received several honors for her research; she was selected as the 2009 recipient of the Human Resources Research Organization Meredith P. Crawford award for high-potential research and teaching and she was nominated for a UHD faculty scholarly activity/creativity award in 2012. Her research has appeared in over nine peer-reviewed journals and in a technology management book. Dr. Perry has also consulted with a number of public and private organizations on personnel management processes.

 

Kurt Stanberry is a Professor of Legal Studies in the College of Business at the University of Houston Downtown, and the 2011/12 recipient of the PLM Endowed Professorship. He is also a licensed attorney. He received his BA from Yale University, an MBA from the Graduate School of Business at Temple University, and a JD from the University of Houston College of Law.

Kurt teaches courses at the undergraduate and graduate level in business law, contracts, employment law, negotiations, ethics and related topics. He also conducts continuing education seminars in topics such as negotiations, leadership, diversity, and ethics for CPA’s, CFP’s, attorneys, and business executives, through organizations such as the AICPA, FEI, and TSCPA at the state and national levels. He has published numerous articles in scholarly journals, two textbooks, various practice manuals, and cases.

Prior to joining the faculty at UHD, Kurt was a professor in the California State University System, and was also a visiting professor in international programs in London, Bonn, Tokyo, and Seoul. He has been teaching and practicing law for over 30 years.

 

PLM Online Courses

The Professional Land Management Program is for those persons desiring to pursue a career in Petroleum Land related activities. The program is designed for landmen, lease and title analysts, attorneys, and others involved in supporting exploration and development activities. The curriculum consists of six courses which will provide our graduates with the skills necessary to augment their career in land management. Upon successful completion of the six course program a The Professional Land Management Certificate will be awarded. The courses within this certificate program can be used for continuing education credits for the American Association of Petroleum Landmen recertification.

This program was developed in response to inquiries regarding developmental courses for persons involved in the petroleum industry but lacking formal training in land management skills. The program attempts to bridge the education gap for those persons wanting exposure to University quality instruction on a condensed basis without the pressure of exams.

The PLM faculty is composed of known experts in their field and they are either current UHD faculty members or industry professionals with several years of experience in their specialty working with Petroleum Education Workshops.

 

Why Online Class?

Our online PLM class makes learning more flexible, yet engaging while you achieve your desired goal. Our PLM classes are conducted through Blackboard Learn, which is a renown online learning environment used by many universities. Online classes keep one involved in the class through online discussion boards, on-demand and interactive content, and live chats.

 

Improved Communication:
There are several features of Blackboard that allow for communications with other students. Four of the more distinctive options are announcements, discussions, virtual classroom, and email. Announcements are automatically emailed to all the students as well, which assures that everyone is up-to-date with the class activities.

 

Class Interactions:
You can reach out to all the other students and the instructor, through discussion boards, chats, and emails without sharing any sort of personal information (like email). You can send messages to a group, or post a topic for discussion. You can email your instructor via blackboard as well. A unique Username will be issued upon enrollment, which will allow you to participate in class interactions.

 

Course Content:
On the first day of class, all students are granted access to the entire course content. If you are a new student, you will receive a username and password via email on the first day of class. You will maintain the same username and password for all the six courses. One of six classes is offered each month and each class is divided into four week segments. Each week there is a reading and discussion on a specific topic, online interactive Video Lectures, a short assignment helping you apply the content you are learning, and clips by the instructors.

 

Accessibility:
Generally, the online courses will not require you to be logged in at a certain time or day. However, if you want to participate in the live webinar (starting September 2012), you will need to be logged in at the time specified by your instructor. Webinars will be recorded and made available to the students so they can access it at his/her convenience. The course content is available throughout the length of the class (typically 4 weeks). You can access the course content from wherever you are. We have students across the globe accessing the class content to finish up weekly quizzes and discussions.

 

Flexibility:
Online courses follow a consistent weekly work routine. You can complete your lesson during the week when it is convenient for you, as long as you keep pace with your course’s weekly schedule. Meeting your instructor’s due dates will allow you to maintain a balance between the material from their course and other life events like family and work.

 

Feedback:
Need assistance with something pertaining to the course? Feel free to contact the instructors via email through Blackboard. Feedback is provided on the discussions posted as well as quizzes taken by the instructor.

 

Progress:
You can keep track of all the scores of quizzes and assignments, which helps you assess your progress.

 

Description of Each Course:

To receive the Professional Land Management Certificate, the following six courses must be completed:

INTRODUCTION TO PETROLEUM LAND MANAGEMENT

This class focuses on a methodical approach in laying the foundational principles for oil and gas land management.

Major Topics covered:

1. Careers in Petroleum Land Industry
2. Land is the basis of all wealth
3. Mineral and Royalty Ownership
4. The Oil and Gas Lease
5. Pooling, Utilization, Exploration & Drilling a well
6. Laws for Oil and Gas
7. Legal Descriptions

 

PROPERTY AND MINERAL OWNERSHIP FOR PETROLEUM LAND MANAGEMENT

Understanding property and mineral ownership and the transferring of title is critical for all those working in petroleum land management. This course takes an in-depth and thorough look at the subject.

Major Topics covered:

1. Types of Owners and Ownerships
2. Statutory Estates
3. Rules surrounding Mineral & Royalty Ownership and Conveying Property
4. Types of conveyances, testate and intestate succession
5. Types of title transfers from court actions
6. Curing Land Titles
7. Laws governing oil and gas ownership and development

 

NEGOTIATING SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES

An essential skill for landmen is negotiating. A Landman must know how to prepare for successful negotiations, whether it’s a lease, or a basic contract, or other legal documents. Success often requires having an understanding of not only industry-specific information, but also the application of different approaches and techniques in negotiations to enable one to achieve the best end result. Applicable laws and ethical considerations will also be discussed as a part of the negotiating process.

Major Topics covered:

1. Types of Negotiations
2. Strategic Planning
3. Communication & Power
4. Ethics and Legal Issues
5. Multiple Parties
6. International Negotiation

 

BASIC CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS USED IN PETROLEUM LAND MANAGEMENT

The oil and gas industry uses a number of unique contractual arrangements to explore for, develop, produce, and market oil and gas. This interactive course not only takes a detailed look at these contracts but allow the students an opportunity to negotiate and draft several of the contracts that are vital to the industry.

Major Topics covered:

1. Essence of Contracts
2. Types of Agreements-Seismic, Confidentiality, Joint Venture, Letter Agreements, Area of Mutual Interest Agreements etc.
3. Oil and Gas Lease
4. Surface Contracts
5. The Joint Operating Agreement
6. Unit Agreements and Unit Operating Agreements
7. Farmout

 

PETROLEUM LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

This class focuses on the process of Petroleum Land Management. There are many steps that take place from start to finish. This class is designed to help the student understand the process and take each step in proper order.

Major topics covered:

1. Trends & Issues in US
2. Ethics for Petroleum Land Professional
3. Surface Owners & Surface Agreements
4. Acquisition of Oil & Gas Lease – Negotiations & Amendments
5. Examining Courthouse Records
6. Seismic Study Interpretation
7. Curing Land Titles
8. Regulatory Commission Work
9. Well Proposal

 

CALCULATING OIL & GAS INTERESTS

A producing oil or gas well may produce millions of dollars in revenue and have scores of owners who are entitled to receive their portion of the revenue from production. Understanding the principles of calculating these oil and gas interests is a vital component for the land management professional. Each calculation may be tied to key clauses in the oil and gas lease or language associated with other agreements. 

Major topics Covered:

1. Rules of Conveyances
2. RI, GWI & NRI
3. Calculating Burdens & interests
4. Calculating Federal & Beneficial Interest Units
5. Before & After Payout Calculations
6. Oklahoma Proportionate Production Calculations
7. Calculating Inflated interests
   

Online Class Schedule for 2012-2013

2013 Schedule
March 2013	Introduction to Petroleum Land Management-CLOSED
April 2013	Calculating Oil & Gas Interest-CLOSED
May 2013	Negotiating Skills and Techniques-CLOSED
June 2013	Basic Contracts used in Petroleum Land Management-CLOSED
July 2013	Property & Mineral Ownership for Petroleum Land Management (Deadline to register: 6/24/2013)
August 2013	Petroleum Land Management Practices (Deadline to register: 7/29/2013)
September 2013	Introduction to Petroleum Land Management (Deadline to register: 8/26/2013)
October 2013	Calculating Oil & Gas Interest (Deadline to register: 9/30/2013)
November 2013	Negotiating Skills and Techniques (Deadline to register: 10/28/2013)
December 2013	Basic Contracts used in Petroleum Land Management (Deadline to register: 11/25/2013)
January 2014	Property & Mineral Ownership for Petroleum Land Management (Deadline to register: 12/17/2013)
February 2014	Petroleum Land Management Practices (Deadline to register: 1/27/2014)

Class Times.

Class begins the first Monday of each month and is completed by the last Friday of the same month.

Cost of Courses.

The current cost is $600 for each course. Total cost is $3,600 for all six courses in the PLM Program.

Curriculum Workbooks.

Workbooks and other materials will be shipped to student. Costs are already included with the course.

Register and Pay Online.

Register Now.

Deadline for registration will be nine business days before class starts. Books will be mailed out to student prior to class starting. There is no late registration.

Before the start of class, an email will be sent from plm@uhd.edu to the student to with account and login information.

Cancellation/Refund Policy.

Students have up to FIVE working days for rescheduling or canceling that class. For any reason, if student is not completely satisfied with the course, they have FIVE working days to cancel and receive a full refund minus $100 ($50 processing fee and $50 textbook).  

If you would like to receive a credit for the textbook, please mail the textbook back for a $50 credit by the 15th of the month. The textbook must be in new, unmarked condition without highlighting, writing or underlining. The cover and pages of the book must be intact and unsoiled. It is strongly encouraged to include a tracking number. After the text book is received, credit will be issued in TEN working days. If your return is shipped after the time frame indicated above, we regret that we cannot issue a refund or send the textbook back to you.

NOTE: Shipping charges are non-refundable.

Cancellations or reschedule after the FIVE working days from the scheduled class start date will result in no refund. Any and all fees paid toward classes cancelled by University of Houston - Downtown will be promptly refunded or applied to a later class date at the student’s discretion. All registrations will be confirmed via email.

Technical Support.

Blackboard is the online learning environment used for teaching. Blackboard is a very active, program-rich website. Compatible browsers are Internet Explorer 8 or Firefox 3.6 working on Windows XP operating system. Mac users will need the newest Google Chrome, Safari or Firefox browsers version 3.6-5.0 and an updated version of Java. Videos will be published in the courses, installation of Windows Media Player and Microsoft Silverlight are necessary. Visit Microsoft Download Center for free downloads.

Blackboard has a new, searchable user manual, at http://help.blackboard.com, click on Student, and do a key word search.

Helpful Phone Numbers.

Online/Face to Face - Course Registration/Receipts/Tax Forms:

Phone: 713-221-8032

Hours: Mon. – Fri. ~ 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CDT

 

UHD PLM Administrative Office:

Phone: 713-221-5015

Hours: Mon. – Fri. ~ 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CDT

 

UHD IT Support*:

Phone: 713-221-8031

Hours: Mon. – Fri. ~ 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Sat. ~ 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Sun. ~ 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m

 

*Identify you are a continuing education student.

(All hours are in Central time zone)

 

Blackboard Link: bb2.uhd.edu