The Land Department shares the state of land and energy as we see it. We cover topics like region and basin-specific challenges and solutions, tactics for producing the best work, opportunities in the industry, and stories from experts in the field.
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063 - Division Orders 101: How Royalty Owners Get Paid with Rebekah Stringer
Episode 63
Wednesday, June 17, 2026 • Duration 01:00:18
Every royalty check starts with work most people never see. After a lease is signed and a well starts producing, someone has to review title, build the deck, and make sure every owner's decimal interest adds up to a perfect 1.0 before anyone gets paid. That someone is a division order analyst, one of the most important and least understood roles in the land business.
Rebekah Stringer, President of the Houston Association of Division Order Analysts and a division order supervisor with twelve years in the field, joins Brent and Khalil for a ground-up tour of the land back office. She walks through the full lifecycle from title review to payment, explains suspense and escheat, and gets into the people side of the job: owner relations, what stays in-house versus what gets outsourced, and how the next generation finds its way into a profession most people stumble into by accident.
Key Topics & Timestamps
00:46 - Back Office Matters
02:33 - Rebekah's Career Path
06:46 - Inside Division Order Work
12:15 - Division Orders and Suspense
24:11 - Escheat and Finding Owners
31:00 - Licensing Tiers and Costs
32:02 - PI Tools and Ethics
33:57 - Outsourcing Division Order Work
41:45 - Clean Handoffs and Spreadsheet Reality
52:27 - Talent Pipeline
Memorable Quotes
"Make it add up to 1.0." — Rebekah
"Handling owners is a huge part of what we do." — Rebekah
"It's not just getting people paid, it's making sure you've got everything papered up and documented properly." — Brent
"Nobody really knows what a division order analyst is, or even that we exist." — Rebekah
Key Takeaways
The back office is where royalty owners actually get paid. After a lease is signed and a well comes online, the division order team reviews title, builds the deck, confirms every interest adds up to 1.0, and sends out division orders so owners can go into pay.
A clean handoff that adds up to 1.0 makes everything easier. When an in-house landman hands over a division of interest that totals exactly 1.0, the division order team can set up the well and get owners paid without untangling a title problem first.
Owners carry the responsibility to keep their records current. Operators can't pay or update an owner they don't know about, so address changes, sales, and deaths all sit with the owner to report. That's why suspense exists and why empathetic owner relations matter so much.
Some work has to stay in-house. Well setups, deck setups, and complex transfers carry too much downstream risk to outsource. Owner relations, pay code changes, and escheat support are safer to hand off when a team needs to flex up.
The profession faces a talent gap, and associations are the way in. Most analysts found the field by accident, and experienced analysts are retiring with their knowledge. Groups like NADOA and HADOA offer the trainings, mentorship, and networking that bring new people in.
062 - Powering the AI Boom: Natural Gas, Data Centers, and the Land Beneath It with Peter Snell
Episode 61
Friday, June 5, 2026 • Duration 54:29
AI gets all the headlines, but the data centers behind it don't run without fuel. Natural gas is a huge part of that story, and so is the land underneath it. Peter Snell, founder and CEO of PetroVybe, joins Brent and Khalil to explain how he's building a natural gas company designed for the AI era from the ground up.
They dig into why so much Permian gas stays trapped, why PetroVybe operates where the infrastructure already exists, and how a 10-year asset strategy gets built one acquisition at a time. Peter also breaks down how landmen can use AI as a daily planning tool, what data center developers keep getting wrong about mineral rights and right of way, and why planning for failure is part of the model. It's a practical look at where energy, technology, and land work all meet.
Key Timestamps
01:06 - Why Data Centers Matter
04:12 - PetroVybe Origin Story
08:02 - Permian Gas Bottlenecks
15:40 - Building a 10-Year Asset Base
20:14 - AI Limits and Landman Playbook
32:32 - Data Centers Land Pitfalls
40:42 - Ten-Year Pivots And Stewardship
47:01 - AI Future Trades Wrap Up
Memorable Quotes
"AI centers don't exist without fuel, and I think that's often missed in the public eye." — Peter
"AI's not here to take your job. AI's here to make your job easier so we can do more with you and not hire five more landmen." — Peter
"A landman is not going anywhere." — Brent
"Get comfortable with being uncomfortable with learning about those new things." — Peter
Key Takeaways
AI data centers run on natural gas. The public conversation focuses on AI capabilities, but the compute can't run without fuel. Natural gas is core to powering the buildout, and that puts land and mineral work at the center of the story.
053 - When Landmen Get Sued: Legal Survival Guide with Lee Carr & Brian Wittpenn
Episode 53
Thursday, October 16, 2025 • Duration 50:55
After 24 years as a landman, host Brent Broussard finally faced his first deposition—and it opened his eyes to how unprepared most landmen are for litigation. Oil and gas attorneys Lee Carr and Brian Wittpenn share street-smart strategies for avoiding lawsuits, handling depositions, and protecting yourself when litigation becomes inevitable.
What You’ll Learn
Why avoiding litigation entirely is impossible (and the only foolproof method)
Essential documentation practices that can save or sink your case
How to handle agency disclosure requirements without killing deals
What to do immediately when served with a lawsuit or subpoena
Communication strategies that protect you in adversarial situations
Time Stamps
00:57 - Episode & Guest Intro
01:37 - Landmen and Lawsuits
02:58 - Avoiding Litigation as a Landman
05:07 - Contract Disputes and Settlements
07:35 - Deposition Costs and Realities
09:54 - Ethics and Best Practices
11:54 - Agency and Disclosure
18:51 - Documentation and Process
23:26 - Offers and Counter Offers
26:12 - Importance of Termination Dates in Offers
28:01 - Handling Legal Trouble: Initial Steps
35:09 - Understanding Subpoenas and Document Retention
40:41 - Best Practices for Professional Communication
42:46 - File Retention
47:48 - Episode Takeaways
49:38 - Episode Outro
Snippets from the Episode
"Really, the only foolproof way to not get sued as a landman is to not be a landman. Outside of that, anybody can sue anybody for anything."— Lee Carr
"Just a simple deposition—you're clicking off at probably an eight to ten thousand dollar bill leaving there, and then the transcript's going to be $800 to $1,000."— Lee Carr
052 - What Can One Landowner Conversation Change About Your Career? with David Dachner
Episode 52
Thursday, September 25, 2025 • Duration 58:10
Veteran landman David Dachner shares his remarkable career journey, from having $1,000 to his name to building a multi-million-dollar oil and gas portfolio in the Austin Chalk. This candid conversation reveals how integrity, relationship-building, and strategic persistence transformed both his professional success and personal mission to give back through philanthropy in Honduras and personal development programs.
What You’ll Learn
How to build lasting success through integrity and authentic relationships with landowners
Strategic approaches to surviving oil industry downturns and market cycles
The power of specializing in one geological formation for long-term profitability
How personal transformation can enhance rather than compromise professional success
Practical wisdom for balancing career ambition with meaningful impact
Time Stamps
00:49 Episode & Guest Intro
02:45 David's Early Life and Career Beginnings
07:02 Navigating the Oil Industry in the 80s
09:36 Challenges and Successes in Amarillo
19:53 The Importance of Integrity and Relationships
27:56 The Fast-Paced Culture of America
28:45 Building Trust and Rapport as a Landman
31:24 The Importance of Giving Back
33:04 Discovery Programs and Personal Transformation
36:36 The Abundant Life Foundation in Honduras
41:38 Balancing Career and Philanthropy
45:04 A Life-Changing Epiphany
49:25 The Journey of Personal and Professional Growth
52:52 Creating a Culture of Integrity and Purpose
56:49 Episode Outro
Snippets from the Episode
"I always believed in the quality of life, not the quantity of life. I feel number one is I think we are, first of all, a giving industry."— David Dachner
051 - How Do You Build the Next Generation of Energy Professionals? with Kellie Estes & Jeremy Martin
Episode 51
Thursday, August 21, 2025 • Duration 53:24
Texas Tech Energy Commerce faculty Kellie Estes and Jeremy Martin join us for an in-depth look at how one of the industry's premier energy education programs prepares students for careers spanning oil & gas, renewables, and commercial energy markets. From their rigorous capstone projects to alumni networks that span decades, discover what makes Tech graduates stand out and how the program has evolved to meet today's diverse energy landscape.
What You’ll Learn
How Texas Tech's Energy Commerce program has evolved beyond traditional landman training to cover the full energy spectrum
The admission requirements and curriculum structure that makes Energy Commerce one of the most challenging business majors
Why work ethic and communication skills trump perfect grades in building successful energy careers
How capstone projects simulate real-world deal-making from asset acquisition through production
The role of alumni networks and industry partnerships in student success and program development
Time Stamps
00:41 - Episode & Guest Intro
02:04 - Kelly's Journey with Energy Commerce
04:30 - Jeremy's Return to Lubbock
08:19 - Energy Commerce Program Overview
13:20 - Team Building and Capstone Projects
19:28 - Alumni Involvement and Industry Relevance
23:50 - Evolving Curriculum and Industry Shifts
26:18 - Characteristics of Successful Students
28:12 - Changes in the Program Over the Years
30:02 - Preparing Students for Renewable Energy
31:53 - Internship Opportunities and Expectations
35:07 - Balancing Traditional and Modern Education
38:38 - Maintaining High Standards and Enrollment
42:27 - Embracing AI and Technological Advancements
51:19 - Conclusion and Contact Information
050 - Permitting CCS Injection Wells: Navigating the Legal and Regulatory Maze with Jerry Walrath & KC McAdam
Episode 50
Friday, August 8, 2025 • Duration 56:52
Summary
Texas moves closer to primacy for carbon capture and sequestration projects as legal frameworks evolve and landmen navigate an increasingly complex regulatory landscape. Our expert guests break down the latest developments in CCS permitting, pore space ownership, and the practical challenges of putting these massive projects together in today's market.
What You’ll Learn
Current status of Texas primacy for CCS well permitting and expected timeline
How pore space ownership varies between Texas and Louisiana
Why large contiguous properties remain essential for CCS project success
The role of unitization and integration in future CCS development
Pipeline challenges that could make or break project economics
Legal considerations around plume migration and potential tort issues
Time Stamps
01:00 - Episode & Guest Introductions
03:00 - Primacy in Texas
06:00 - Primacy in Other States
13:00 - Challenges and Considerations in Louisiana
33:00 - Challenges in Securing Agreements for Carbon Capture
34:00 - Cost and Timeline of Carbon Capture Projects
35:00 - Legal Considerations in Carbon Capture
39:00 - Unitization and Integration in Carbon Capture
47:00 - Pipeline Challenges in Carbon Capture
Snippets from the Episode
"The state agency that's been responsible for administering the rules for oil and gas development and has this huge store of knowledge is now going to administer the rules for carbon capture, which is something of an inverse process to oil and gas development."— Jerry Walrath
049 - Summer Cocktail Hour: Team Updates, Recruitment Challenges, and 2025 Industry Trends
Episode 49
Thursday, July 24, 2025 • Duration 46:31
We talk team growth, recruitment struggles, and the trends shaping the next wave of energy projects. From promotions and new hires to the ongoing challenge of finding top talent, the conversation sheds light on what’s happening behind the scenes. With humor and real-world insights, Brent, Brandon, and Steve share how they’re adapting to a busy, ever-changing market.
Time Stamps
01:00 - Episode Intro
03:30 - Company Announcements and Promotions
06:45 - New Hires and Team Updates
10:17 - Conferences Golf Tournaments
16:22 - Industry Activity and Market Trends
20:57- Renewable Energy Outlook
21:24 - Data Centers and Energy Integration
23:51 - Challenges in Staffing and Recruitment
33:31 - Regional Differences in Landman Sourcing
41:25 - Summer Plans and Future Outlook
Snippets from the Episode
"All of a sudden, you’re seeing a shift from ‘oil and gas is bad and green is good’ to ‘now we need oil and gas.’ Data centers might be the bridge that brings everyone together." -Steve
"If you’re starting to look for landmen when you need to staff a job, you’re already too late. You have to be aggressive and proactive to keep good people on your projects." -Brent
“We’re definitely seeing a little uptick in new energy projects like hydrogen, lithium, and geothermal, which is a great opportunity for landmen to adapt and grow.” -Brandon
048 - Behind the Scenes at Dudley: Scaling, Staffing, and Tech Innovations
Episode 48
Thursday, July 10, 2025 • Duration 44:32
How do you scale teams, develop leaders, and stay ahead of AI changes? From staffing shortages in division order roles to implementing quarterly "rocks" for execution, this behind-the-scenes look covers the real challenges of running land projects in today's market.
Time Stamps
00:51 - Episode Intro
01:31 - New Projects and Kickoff Calls
03:10 - Due Diligence and Planning
08:45 - In-House Services and Staffing Challenges
16:06 - Leadership Transition & Development
19:42 - Effective Delegation and Team Building
21:40 - Implementing Company-Wide Initiatives
22:40 - Team Growth and Community Involvement
23:36 - Implementing Lean Principles
26:02 - Scaling Up with Rocks
32:12 - AI in Title Examination
37:48 - Kudu Land System
Snippets from the Episode
The real power is gonna come when you can take an AI and have it retrieve and combine information from your brokerage land system with your in-house system and your well files and lease analysis, and all those things. When it can marry all that seamlessly, that's when you're gonna really see the power, and when you can prompt it accordingly. -Brent
Team building is not about the trust falls; it's about understanding what your strengths and weaknesses are, being able to read what other people's strengths and weaknesses are, and how to communicate with those people. How do you take ownership as a project manager to ensure that every time you fire up something new, it's not a new experience, right? It's just a new scenario, and you're applying those tactics. -Brent
How do you elevate your team? Sometimes, elevating your team is delegating and letting go of some of the things that you're doing that you're not doing as well as you should be. -Brent
047 - Conversations with a Leader: Teaching, Leading, and Learning in the Energy Space with Nancy McCaskell
Episode 47
Thursday, June 19, 2025 • Duration 01:00:28
From being a VP of Land at 26, to teaching high school English, to leading a national energy association — Nancy McCaskell’s journey is anything but ordinary. In this episode, she shares powerful lessons on leadership, resilience, and how to inspire the next generation.
Time Stamps
00:52 - Episode & Guest Intro
03:39 - Nancy's Career Beginnings
07:09 - VP of Land at 26
11:59 - Transition to Teaching
13:09 - Leadership and Mentorship
22:35 - The Importance of Trust and Authenticity
26:44 - Challenges and Growth
28:59 - Building Relationships and Delegation
31:02 - The Importance of Honest Feedback
33:59 - Philanthropy and Community Involvement
37:57 - Leadership and Career Development
40:17 - The Role of AAPL in Supporting Landmen
46:30 - Governmental Affairs and Lobbying Efforts
50:42 - Adapting to the Evolving Energy Sector
54:05 - The Importance of Education and Networking
57:50 - Reflections on a Year as AAPL President
59:31 - Closing Remarks and Future Plans
Snippets from the Episode
“ Energy is a rollercoaster business, and we have to make certain that people understand that. But it's a good business, it goes from the practical to things that no one thinks about every day, like national security and energy, and where's that gonna go, and what part do you play.” -Nancy McCaskell
”Living it every day. It is the same practices and principles. The terminology changes a little bit, but land work is land work. We live it. Land work is land work.” -Patrick Durman
“ There's so much to it, and it's ever evolving. We're always gonna need energy. There's, there's, there's no denying that. We gotta have more electric utilities. We've gotta have more pipeline.” -Brent Broussard
”Somebody had to buy those right-of-ways, and that's us. Somebody had to be able to go out and get permission to do that, and that's us. We're landmen, we do that. We don't drill the wells, but we make it possible. That makes me proud of what we do.” -Nancy McCaskell
046 - Energy Leadership Lessons: Feedback, Focus, and Building Teams That Last with Zack Oliva
Episode 46
Friday, May 30, 2025 • Duration 01:02:22
How do successful leaders balance work and personal life while building incredible teams? Join Brent Broussard and Zack Oliva as they share their experiences and lessons on energy leadership.
Time Stamps
00:41 - Episode & Guest Intro
03:41 - Elevating Leadership Through Perspective
10:18 - Importance of Feedback and Communication
19:06 - Balancing Work and Personal Life
24:29 - Encouraging Work-Life Balance in the Team
25:47 - Priorities and Focus
27:11 - Building Systems for Idea Management
29:05 - Challenges in Execution
36:21 - Team Structures and Leadership Development
38:19 - Creating a Culture of Appreciation
42:03 - Effective Communication and Team Dynamics
44:47 - Traits of Successful Team Players
50:24 - Client Relationships and Success
56:38 - Leadership and Personal Growth
01:02:08 - Zack Oliva's Contact Details
Snippets from the Episode
"I find with people issues, and leadership issues, and sometimes strategic issues, it's better to just take a step back for a little bit and try and get that altitude." -Zack
"I think of weekends as my reward for a week, a week I worked hard at. I think of it as a precondition for me to be able to show up on Monday and perform with a team." -Zack
"The worst thing you can do is look down upon someone you're asking to work for you." -Brent
" You're only as good as the people you work with." -Brent
The Permian has gas, but it's trapped. The infrastructure is built for oil, not gas, so much of the supply can't reach market profitably. PetroVybe operates in South and East Texas where the takeaway capacity actually exists.
East Texas land is a people business. Heirship, complicated title, smaller parcels, and hundreds of mineral owners per project make East Texas a different challenge than the contract-driven Permian. That complexity is exactly where landmen add value.
Landmen can use AI as a daily planning tool. Feed Claude or ChatGPT your local context, test it against the macro trends, and build a 30-day, 12-month, and 24-month plan. The goal is to understand the connection points, not become an expert in everything.
Data center developers keep skipping the land work. Sites get bought without checking mineral exposure, interconnection queue status, or right of way. The deal looks easy until the dirt underneath turns into a problem.
About Our Guest
Peter Snell is the founder and CEO of PetroVybe, a natural gas development company built for the AI era. After more than a decade as a management consultant and business fixer, Peter moved into oil and gas and now leads a team focused on natural gas, long-term investor protection, and biblical stewardship.
Ready to protect your land projects with integrated legal and title support? Our Dudley Select Title division works seamlessly with experienced oil and gas counsel to keep your deals on track and defensible. Contact us to learn how our complete energy partnership approach includes the legal expertise that matters when stakes are high.
"I went through this program, and one night they said, 'I want you to write 10 pages on what your life is going to be like if you don't get what you want.' I woke up at five o'clock in the morning, and I had a spiritual epiphany where I encountered what I believed to be the Christ in my room. It changed my heart, and I gave my life to him that day."— David Dachner
"Find the purpose in what you're doing. Find the why. Why are you doing it? You know how to do it and what you're doing, but why are you doing it?"— David Dachner
Key Takeaways
Austin Chalk Specialization Strategy
Integrity-Based Relationship Building
Surviving Industry Downturns Through Persistence
Balancing Professional Success with Personal Mission
The Roy Landowner Generosity Story
Personal Transformation at Age 41
Creating Culture Through Purpose-Driven Leadership
Ready to hear more landman success stories and industry insights? Subscribe to The Land Department podcast and connect with us on LinkedIn. Know a landman with an inspiring story? Send us their name - we're building a library of industry biographies that showcase the incredible people in our business.
Snippets from the Episode
"We give them a 12 to 18 month head start, and after that it's up to them to keep learning, to keep progressing, but we give them that foundation."— Kellie Estes
"Work ethic is always the top for me. We've had many students come through here that have been C students and gone on to have a great career because they think outside the box."— Jeremy Martin
"There's so many different opportunities in this industry. There's a place for everyone."— Kellie Estes
"AI is only as good as the person being able to use it or disseminate the information."— Jeremy Martin
"Land work is land work. You gotta have it, whether it's oil and gas, a solar farm, a wind farm, whatever. The basics that we teach them, that's going to translate over into either side of it."— Jeremy Martin
"One of the biggest things that I find day to day that is consuming my time is you have a lack of regulation, and you have a lot of first-of-kind commercial arrangements because you're joining groups together that have not been joined before into what looks kind of like a traditional oil and gas transaction."— KC McAdam
"In Louisiana, you're gonna flip that on its head - the surface owner owns the pore space, but there may be oil and gas activity, you're gonna want to make sure that you're covering yourself from the other angle."— KC McAdam
Key Takeaways
Texas Primacy Progress - MOA Signed, But Timeline Uncertain
Pore Space Ownership Varies Significantly by State
Large Contiguous Properties Remain Essential for Early Projects
Unitization Rules Needed for Future CCS Development
Pipeline Economics Can Make or Break Project Viability
Legal Frameworks Still Evolving Around Plume Migration
First-of-Kind Commercial Arrangements Create New Challenges
Ready to navigate the evolving CCS landscape? Whether you're working on carbon capture projects or need expertise across traditional and renewable energy development, Dudley Land Company brings 45+ years of energy expertise to every project. From pore space agreements to pipeline corridors, we're your complete energy partner with integrated solutions that keep projects on time and on budget.
Visit us at dudleylandcompany.com or connect with our team to discuss how our experience in both oil and gas and emerging energy sectors can support your next project.
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