Texas Working Interest Owner Dispute Litigators
If you are involved in a working interest owner dispute in Texas, it is crucial to have an experienced attorney protecting your interests. This is a highly specialized area of the law, something that should only be trusted to attorneys who make it their focus. At Perdue & Kidd, L.L.P. in Houston, attorney Ben Elmore has been named a Rising Star in oil and gas litigation by Texas Monthly Magazine each year since 2005.
Perdue & Kidd, L.L.P. represents non-operating working interest owners and overriding royalty interest owners in disputes with their operators. To discuss your legal needs with a dedicated attorney, please call 713-574-7393 or toll free 877-833-7475.
Joint Operating Agreements (JOAs) Litigation
Working interest owner disputes arising under JOAs are common in the industry. For instance, non-operating interest owners may believe the costs they are charged on their Joint Interest Billings are unreasonable, the operator performed unnecessary work or that the operator's conduct arises to the level justifying renewal under the JOA.
Also, JOAs often include preferential right to purchase provisions that must be enforced. This requires temporary injunctions to prevent a sale in violation of the provision and litigation to enforce a party's rights to purchase the subject property on the same or similar terms.
Area of Mutual Interest Agreements (AMIs)
Working interest owners may also enter into AMIs that require a party to convey an ownership interest in any newly acquired lease or property within a defined geographical area to the other parties. Disputes can occur over the description of the boundaries, what types of property are included and what interest is owed.
Overriding Royalty Interest (ORRI)
ORRI owners own an interest carved out of an operator's working interest in a well or oil and gas lease. The ORRI can be extinguished by an operator through termination of the underlying lease or failure to act as a reasonably prudent operator. ORRI owners may have claims against an operator for improper conduct which could result in the termination of ORRI interest.
To discuss your working interest owner dispute with an accomplished trial lawyer, contact Perdue & Kidd, L.L.P. today.
