Speakers
Education
This session examines recent case law and regulatory developments affecting oil and gas operations and transactions in Texas and New Mexico, with a focus on how courts and agencies are reshaping produced-water ownership, pore-space rights, lease continuation, royalty burdens, state lease liabilities, surface access, and water-related risk. The program provide practical guidance for transactional counsel, landmen, and deal teams conducting diligence, drafting purchase agreements, allocating environmental and plugging liabilities, and evaluating deal certainty. The session will also address federal leasing developments, including BLM rule changes affecting royalty rates, rentals, minimum bids, bonding, and leasing processes.
Shaun Schottmiller is an experienced attorney specializing in advising oil and gas operators of all sizes across a range of issues, from day-to-day operations to complex contract drafting and title reviews. Before joining Oliva Gibbs, Shaun enjoyed over 10 years in Midland, TX, practicing in both Texas and New Mexico. Shaun worked in private practice in the heart of the Permian Basin, and later in-house at a large, independent, Midland-based exploration and production company.
Shaun’s skills extend to negotiating, reviewing, and drafting key contracts and agreements, including oil and gas leases, surface use agreements, operating agreements, easements, farms-outs/farm-ins, master service agreements, purchase and sale agreements, conveyances, assignments, and pooling instruments. He regularly assists clients with developing planning, strategy, and structure. He also has a strong background in reviewing and analyzing titles for acquisition, drilling, and division order title opinions.
Outside of his legal career, Shaun is a USA Track and Field Level 1 Certified Coach and a Certified Personal Trainer. When not running, he enjoys traveling, reading, and cooking, all with his wife and son. A native Houstonian, Shaun now resides in Dallas.