Oil & Gas

Stokley PLLC focuses a large portion of its services on representing operators, non-operators, mineral owners, oil-field service providers, and other suppliers in the oil & gas industry all across the country with an emphasis in Texas.

For several clients, we serve in an “outside general counsel” role where we handle all legal matters including contract negotiation and litigation.  By way of example, we manage operators’ master service and IADC drilling contracts as well as all other agreements they encounter; assist with disputes related to joint interest billing statements on behalf of both operators and non-operators; pursue collection matters for field services clients and operators; handle billing disputes with vendors on behalf of operators; represent operators in disputes with mineral interest / royalty owners; obtain temporary restraining orders and injunctions related to mineral liens; assist with insurance claims related to catastrophic losses, wild wells, and drilling rig accidents that have resulted in death; advise on disputes related to interpretations of joint operating agreements and COPAS accounting procedures; advise with banking disputes regarding redeterminations of borrowing base; assist with auctions to acquire producing properties and acreage; obtain judgments for defective operating equipment, trucking disputes, shipping disputes, assist with OSHA compliance issues, advise on disputes with surface-rights owners, among others.

Representative Engagements:

  • Obtained temporary restraining order, temporary injunction, and ultimate judgment in favor of field services provider against sub-contractor for attempting to improperly file mineral liens on mineral interests owned by client of field services provider.
  • Obtained judgment for defective sucker rods on behalf of operator.
  • Obtained judgment in favor of field services provider in dispute with supplier related to accounting issue.
  • Obtained dismissal in favor of operator in dispute over billings related to water hauling and drilling site work.
  • Obtained dismissal in favor of operator over dispute regarding joint operating agreement and joint interest billings
  • Manage and negotiate all master service agreements and IADC drilling contracts for operator to insure that the entire drilling operation has a favorable indemnity structure for client as well as favorable waivers, risks of loss, insurance provisions, set off rights, warranties, choice of venue, among other terms.
  • Assist operator transfer drilling operations to successor entity upon sale of substantially all of client’s assets.
  • Negotiate adjustments to redetermination of borrowing base with client’s bank.
  • Assist non-operator with dispute related to joint interest billings that involved interpretation of amendments to COPAS accounting procedures and 1989 model joint operating agreement.
  • Assist non-operator with dispute related to joint interest billings for uneconomic wells.
  • Assist operator in dispute with mineral interest owner regarding payment of royalties, and the timing for same.
  • Assist field services provider in responding to complaint submitted to OSHA.
  • Assist field services provider with collections matters.
  • Assist field services provider with banking issues.