Discover the Land Profession

WHAT IS A LANDMAN?

A landman is the public facing side of an oil, gas, mineral or other energy sources exploration and production team who interacts and negotiates directly with landowners to acquire leases for the exploration and development of minerals or other energy sources. One of the most valuable things we can do for our industry is offer guidance and support to our next generation of land professionals. We invite anyone interested in landwork to explore our resources.

There are various types of landmen ranging from in-house (company) landmen to independent field landmen and independent land consultants. 

WHO IS AAPL?

Founded in 1955, the American Association of Professional Landmen is the land profession’s trusted resource for support, ethical standards of practice, career advancement and legislative advocacy. With close to 12,000 members through 38 affiliated local associations across North America, AAPL serves as a guiding resource to support landmen as they continue their education in our ever-evolving world. AAPL is also the managing partner of NAPE (North American Prospect Expo). We encourage fair trading terms that work in the interest of all parties, wise utilization of natural resources, and responsible stewardship of the land's surface.

AAPL LANDMAN MARK

When it comes to negotiating mineral rights or rights associated with other energy sources and related real property interests, landowners and landmen alike want the deal to be done fairly and correctly. We help landowners learn to negotiate with confidence and help landmen protect the public interest by operating under our Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. When landowners see the AAPL mark, they know they are dealing with someone who adheres to the industry’s highest ethical standards.

THE EVOLUTION OF A LANDMAN

How has the land profession changed since the 1950s? In 2022, AAPL developed an outreach video titled The Path of the Landman — Powering the World to help tell the historical and hopeful story of the land professional and the opportunities that exist for land professionals in the energy industry. View a clip of the video below or watch the complete video on AAPL's YouTube channel.