re: Working as a landman

I had the JD already. I started working as a landman the day after I passed the bar, just fell into it on a supposedly temporary project that led to another and another...

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But I would love to live there... You seriously think it would be worse than fricking Midland; Huntington, West Virginia or Canton, Ohio.

At least I'll be two hours from Dallas. I would be lucky to work there considering some of the other places I will more likely end up for a few years

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Well when you say it like that yeah Tyler seems better than all those other shite holes.

The talent pool is significantly lower and you better be prepared to go to the Neon Country outside of Jacksonville.

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My man. This is a great strategy, in theory. (I had the same idea, gave it 5 years, now I have to be a lawyer). Practically, it's just on the other side of realistic. E&P companies ONLY hire landmen with in-house experience. Even if you try to aim lower for the analyst job, they'll see that you're an independent landman and likely trash your resume.

It's not impossible to get that in-house job, you just need to start there. Internships come up, once in a blue moon. Some lower level analyst jobs come up with no experience required. It's much easier to work your way up from the inside, rather than coming from making $80k/year as an independent then starting over at $40k.

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I’m going to say in general, you are correct. Especially if taking about in-house mineral Landman spots (sometimes called Land Negotiators).

However, a good independent, field Landman could get a serious look from operators like Anadarko, EOG, COG, etc for a Surface Landman position. You would be negotiating Surface agreements, dealing with landowners and ranchers who are mad because you’re drilling in their property, but they don’t own any mineral rights to get royalty payments.

And usually, after proving yourself in that spot, you can move into the mineral Landman role eventually.

Being a lease analyst would be a dull, boring arse way to work yourself into an in-house mineral Landman role. Though if it’s the only way offered...

My friend is a landman and he works in Colorado. He has been doing it the last 5 years and he is making over $70K a year. He says it is easy once you get the system down. He also runs a side business with a few friends of his. He may work long hours on some days but others might be just for a few. He enjoys it and his biggest time is spent looking at reports but the money is good for him.

Just bite the bullet and get a PETE degree instead

Does a landman have the authority to negotiate compensation for a pipeline easement? Does he simply deliver a proposal and is he required to deliver counter offers back to the company he represents?

I was contacted by SunCoast Land Services from Lafayette.

Depends on the client he is representing.

My whole family are Landmen. It’s nice. Don’t do it if you want a career

Not really

Do you have a Lafayette PLM degree?