The Land Department

Hosted by Dudley Land Company

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Jun 2026

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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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June 5, 2026Episode 6154 min

062 - Powering the AI Boom: Natural Gas, Data Centers, and the Land Beneath It with Peter Snell

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 Timestamps01:06 - Why Data Centers Matter04:12 - PetroVybe Origin Story08:02 - Permian Gas Bottlenecks15:40 - Building a 10-Year Asset Base20:14 - AI Limits and Landman Playbook32:32 - Data Centers Land Pitfalls40:42 - Ten-Year Pivots And Stewardship47:01 - AI Future Trades Wrap UpMemorable 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." — PeterKey TakeawaysAI 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.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 GuestPeter 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.Help us improve our podcast! Share your thoughts in our quick survey.Resources⁠⁠PBLA ⁠⁠(Permian Basin Landmen's Association)⁠⁠Texas Tech University Energy Commerce Program⁠⁠Need Help With A Project? ⁠⁠Meet With Dudley⁠⁠Need Help with Staffing? Connect with ⁠⁠Dudley Staffing⁠⁠Streamline Your Title Process with ⁠⁠Dudley Select Title⁠⁠Watch On ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠Follow Dudley Land Co. On ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠Have Questions? ⁠⁠Email us⁠⁠More From Our GuestPeter Snell, Founder & CEO of ⁠PetroVybe⁠Connect with ⁠Peter on LinkedIn⁠More from Our Hosts⁠⁠Brent⁠⁠ on LinkedIn⁠Khalil ⁠⁠on LinkedIn

May 20, 2026Episode 6158 min

061 - Legacy Series: What 39 Years in Land Looks Like with Kenneth Knott

Kenneth Knott didn't set out to become a landman. His engineering plans got derailed by the 1985 downturn, a friend pulled him into petroleum land management at UL Lafayette, and an ARCO internship hooked him for life. Thirty-nine years later, he just wrapped up a career that included over 25 years at SM Energy, billions in transactions, and a leadership style that kept landmen with him for decades.Brent sits down with Kenneth for a Legacy Series conversation on what longevity in land actually requires. They cover surviving downturns, building team cultures where servant leadership is lived, not just talked, the mentors who shaped him, what separates good landmen from great ones, and his honest take on what AI means for the next generation of land professionals.Key Topics & Timestamps00:45 - Episode & Guest Intro03:10 - How Kenneth Became A Landman07:44 - Surviving Downturns And Longevity10:25 - Leadership Culture And Team Building17:13 - Big Lessons, Deals, and Mentors29:31 - The Mentors Behind Kenneth Knott38:19 - What Makes A Great Landman49:06 - Retirement Reflections And Next GenMemorable Quotes"Our goal is not to make you one of the best landmen. Our goal is to make you one of the best oil and gas professionals." — KennethKey TakeawaysServant leadership has to be lived, not just talked. Talking about servant values doesn't move the needle. Build the culture by aligning every hire on values, treating mistakes as lessons, and making the person next to you better every day.Control what you can, accept what you can't, and keep grinding. Surviving downturns in land work isn't about predicting cycles. It's about your work ethic, your willingness to do what others won't, and your focus on what's actually in your hands.Hire for values first, skills second. SM Energy's culture didn't happen by accident. Recruiting was deliberate about finding people who shared the values, because alignment is what lets you have hard conversations when things get rough.Aim to build great oil and gas professionals, not just great landmen. The best landmen understand the breadth of the business. Get curious in engineering, accounting, and marketing meetings. Over the long run, that's what separates the great from the merely competent.Internal networking beats external networking for deal-making. Knowing who to call inside your own company turns regular deals into great ones. The dumb question to a counterpart in another department is often the difference between a clean close and a problem nobody saw coming.AI is a force multiplier, but it can't replace technical foundation. The next generation of landmen has speed, curiosity, and access to tools landmen never had. The risk is taking AI output at face value without the technical baseline to QC it.About Our GuestKenneth Knott is a 39-year veteran of the oil and gas land business and the recently retired Vice President of Land and Business Development at SM Energy, where he spent more than 25 years. He started his career at ARCO and Vastar before joining SM Energy (formerly St. Mary Land & Exploration), and oversaw billions in transactions, including SM's repositioning out of the Rockies and into the Permian Basin with the QStar, Rock Oil, and Laredo acquisitions. Known industry-wide as "KK," he built a reputation for cultivating long-tenured land teams through a servant-leadership culture rooted in Louisiana grit and decades of field experience.Help us improve our podcast! Share your thoughts in our quick survey.Resources⁠PBLA ⁠(Permian Basin Landmen's Association)⁠Texas Tech University Energy Commerce Program⁠Need Help With A Project? ⁠Meet With Dudley⁠Need Help with Staffing? Connect with ⁠Dudley Staffing⁠Streamline Your Title Process with ⁠Dudley Select Title⁠Watch On ⁠YouTube⁠Follow Dudley Land Co. On ⁠LinkedIn⁠Have Questions? ⁠Email us⁠More From Our GuestKenneth Knott on LinkedInMore from Our Hosts⁠Brent⁠ on LinkedInKhalil ⁠on LinkedIn

April 30, 2026Episode 6040 min

060 - AI in the Land Business: Policies, Agents, and What's Next

Every landman is asking the same question right now: what do you actually do with AI? You've watched conference rooms argue about it, you've watched coworkers paste client emails into ChatGPT, and you still don't have a policy that tells anyone where the line is.In this freestyle episode, Brent and Khalil unpack what's actually working in their daily AI use, why most MSAs leave the policy gap to you, and the licensing conversation that's quietly coming for the profession.If you're trying to figure out where AI fits inside your team without losing your reputation or your bench of future landmen, this is the conversation to listen to.Key Topics & Timestamps01:04 - Freestyle AI Reality Check02:45 - Midland Takeaways and AI Questions04:29 - AI Policies and Email Pitfalls12:32 - Agentic AI and the Landman Future24:58 - Campus Pulse at Texas Tech30:33 - Dudley AI Roadmap Q2-Q435:11 - Focus Discipline, and WrapMemorable Quotes"If you're not actively giving guidance and training and tools and resources and policies, it is the Wild West." — Brent"It is a tool 100%, but the way that you treat it is not like you treat a tool. It's more of an employee." — Khalil"You have to be deliberate about your development of your talent." — Brent"When AI starts executing for you, you're not hitting keystrokes as much. You have to start focusing on your judgment. That's gonna be the most important thing." — Khalil"Start with a little snowball. Make a snowman." — BrentKey TakeawaysAI policies aren't optional. Without a red, yellow, and green framework (plus a gray zone for the in-between), teams default to the Wild West and confidential data ends up in tools no one's tracking.Treat AI like an employee, more than a tool. You wouldn't hand a new hire client emails on day one. The same caution applies before you paste client work into ChatGPT.The next two years force a hard call on agentic work. Companies have to decide what an agent can do, what a licensed landman signs off on, and how to verify the work behind the disclaimer.Entry-level work is what builds 10 and 20 year landmen. If agents take that work, the bench disappears, so companies need deliberate paths to get juniors real field experience.Pick one problem and ship it. Half-baked tools across six departments is how teams end up with a mess. Focus on one workflow, finish it, then expand.Quarterly cadence works for AI rollout. Start with education and discovery, identify your early adopters, give them room to build on real workflows, then push the polished tool company-wide.Help us improve our podcast! Share your thoughts in our quick survey.ResourcesPBLA (Permian Basin Landmen's Association)Texas Tech University Energy Commerce ProgramNeed Help With A Project? Meet With DudleyNeed Help with Staffing? Connect with Dudley StaffingStreamline Your Title Process with Dudley Select TitleWatch On YouTubeFollow Dudley Land Co. On LinkedInHave Questions? Email usMore from Our HostsConnect with Brent on LinkedInConnect with Khalil on LinkedInConnect With UsReady 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.

March 17, 2026Episode 591 hr 2 min

059 - Lithium, Data Centers, and the New Land Frontier with Reagan Marble

The energy and infrastructure landscape is shifting faster than most land professionals can track. Lithium prices crashed 85% in two years, yet leasing activity stayed strong. The Smackover Formation emerged as a world-class brine source. Data centers from the East Coast are flooding into Texas, unfamiliar with mineral estates and the landmen who navigate them. Regulatory frameworks are still catching up, leaving operators navigating unprecedented territory.Reagan Marble, partner at Jackson Walker and a go-to counsel for lithium transactions, joins Brent and Khalil to break down what's actually happening in the market, where the real challenges sit, and what the next wave of land work looks like for professionals willing to adapt.Key Timestamps01:01 - Reagan Marble is Back!04:19 - Lithium Market Update10:07 - Regulatory And Permitting Hurdles18:18 - Consolidation And Lease Cleanup23:28 - Potash And Bromine Upside28:16 - Permian Produced Water Lithium30:52 - Dual Resource Oil And Lithium32:17 - Landman Skills Evolving Fast35:46 - Data Centers Enter The Chat38:30 - Minerals Water And Site Due Diligence44:11 - Power Crunch And Regulatory Battles53:17 - Five Year Outlook And Wrap UpMemorable Quotes"As an oil and gas lawyer and as a landman, we are in the people business and that part of the business will never be replaced, ever." — Reagan"Half of our business at Dudley Land Company didn't exist 10 years ago." — Brent"The next five years in lithium development is gonna make the first five or six years since 2020 look like we were moving at a snail's pace." — Reagan"The regulatory framework is gonna be pretty tough. Someone's gonna have to be the first one to go permit it and, good luck to whoever it is. Hopefully it's not me." — ReaganKey TakeawaysLithium market has shifted from land grab to consolidation. Prices compressed, but strong leasing activity persists. Operators who signed deals at peak bonus levels now face renegotiation pressure.Smackover Formation is world-class brine. Lithium concentrations near 800 mg/L compete with South America's best deposits and justify the Texas land rush.Brine production permitting is the next frontier. The Railroad Commission published rules, but no one has successfully permitted a brine production well yet. Primacy over Class 5 disposal wells remains with EPA, creating a regulatory chicken-and-egg problem.Data centers are the new oil and gas. East Coast PE and family offices are competing for Texas land and water, largely unfamiliar with mineral rights and the professionals who manage them. Water procurement and power availability are the real constraints.Landman skillset is expanding rapidly. Modern land professionals now work across oil and gas, renewables, lithium, CCS, and data centers. Human relationships remain irreplaceable by technology.About Our GuestReagan Marble is a partner at Jackson Walker in Fort Worth and a leading voice in energy transactions across oil and gas, lithium, and emerging infrastructure. His practice spans deal structuring, regulatory strategy, and the convergence of traditional energy and new resource development in Texas.⁠⁠Help us improve our podcast! Share your thoughts in our quick survey.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ResourcesNeed Help With A Project? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Dudley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need Help with Staffing? Connect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dudley Staffing ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Streamline Your Title Process with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dudley Select Title⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch On ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Dudley Land Co. On ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe To Our Newsletter, The Land Dept. MonthlyHave Questions? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Reagan MarbleReagan Marble, Partner at Jackson Walker LLPConnect with Reagan on LinkedInMore from Our HostsConnect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brent⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on LinkedInConnect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on LinkedIn

February 19, 2026Episode 581 hr 3 min

058 - The Evolution of Pooling in the Oil & Gas Industry with Ben Holliday

Energy attorney Ben Holliday breaks down how the oil and gas industry evolved from traditional pooling to today's allocation wells, tackling the complex challenge of drilling long laterals across multiple existing units.From the first Devon allocation well breakthrough to New Mexico's compulsory pooling framework, discover the practical solutions land professionals use to maximize development while navigating regulatory hurdles.What You’ll LearnHow allocation wells solved the multi-unit drilling problem without legislative changesKey differences between Texas allocation wells and New Mexico compulsory poolingWhy production sharing agreements fell out of favor despite regulatory supportHow to navigate lease restrictions on allocation well developmentThe evolution from 640-acre units to multi-section horizontal developmentTime Stamps00:45 - Episode & Guest Intro02:38 - Ben's Career Journey03:58 - Early Experiences in the Oil and Gas Industry10:29 - Pooling and Unitization Basics13:48 - Evolution of Allocation Wells15:52 - Challenges and Legal Aspects23:10 - Production Sharing Agreements26:19 - Current Practices and Industry Impact33:15 - Understanding Lateral Take Points33:42 - Complexities of Unit Allocation34:43 - Impact of AI on Landmen and Attorneys36:52 - Lease Analysis for Allocation Wells38:16 - Mineral Owners' Concerns41:52 - Retained Acreage Clauses and Allocation Wells47:06 - New Mexico's Compulsory Pooling System58:24 - Contested Hearings and Operator Disputes01:02:09 - Conclusion and ResourcesSnippets from the Episode"I learned from Mr. Arrington that in the context of a lease negotiation, 'no' means not right now, and you haven't paid me enough." - Ben Holliday"The general stance of Texas is to encourage development. We don't want to be restraining development, we want resources to be developed." - Ben Holliday“The story of multi-tract development is really a story of industry and the legal side of the house trying to keep pace with each other and what you can do.” - Ben HollidayKey TakeawaysTechnology Drove Legal InnovationRule 37 Exceptions Opened Allocation Well PossibilitiesPSAs Required Too Much Stakeholder CoordinationProductive Lateral Formula Became Industry StandardLease Language Analysis Critical for Allocation WellsNew Mexico's Compulsory System Protects State RevenueBoth State Approaches Effectively Maximize Resource Development⁠⁠Help us improve our podcast! Share your thoughts in our quick survey.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ResourcesNeed Help With A Project? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Dudley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need Help with Staffing? Connect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dudley Staffing ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Streamline Your Title Process with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dudley Select Title⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch On ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Dudley Land Co. On ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe To Our Newsletter, The Land Dept. MonthlyHave Questions? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Ben HollidayAttorney and President - Holliday Energy Law GroupConnect with Ben on LinkedInMore from Our HostsConnect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brent⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on LinkedInConnect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on LinkedInConnect With UsReady 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.

February 5, 2026Episode 5753 min

057 - How Landmen Should Be Thinking About AI in 2026 with Jerris Johnson

Two years after AI entered the conversation, the real question is what’s actually working in the field and what’s still hype. Jerris Johnson returns to share ground-level insight on how AI is being used in land management today, from runsheet generation to document review.This conversation cuts through marketing noise to focus on practical use cases, real implementation challenges, and why measuring keystrokes matters more than flashy promises.What You’ll LearnHow AI expectations have evolved from "it can do nothing" to "it should do everything"Real applications working today in title analysis and land administrationWhy the "keystrokes saved" approach leads to measurable resultsPractical steps for building your own AI workflows without enterprise subscriptionsThe constraint-based thinking that makes AI implementation successfulTime Stamps01:10 - Welcome Back, Jerris Johnson!01:58 - The Evolution of AI in Two Years02:50 - Challenges and Misconceptions in AI Adoption05:48 - Real-World Applications of AI in Land Management14:49 - Future Prospects and Practical Challenges27:43 - Exploring AI Tools for Professionals29:11 - The Importance of Identifying Constraints30:38 - Leveraging AI for Workflow Efficiency34:19 - Challenges in AI Adoption43:26 - Future of AI in BusinessSnippets from the Episode"We can never use the word 'never' again. Today we're talking about desk work, but even out in the field, humanoid robots are going to be a thing." - Jerris Johnson"A really healthy metric to think about is keystrokes. How many keystrokes are you doing on a daily basis? Does AI allow you to reduce those keystrokes? That kind of thinking will help to see how AI helps." - Jerris Johnson"The AI is an intern. It's an infinitely knowledgeable intern, but it's only able to do what you want as well as you describe what you want." - Khalil Benalioulhaj"We're not faced with this 'death by subscription' concept, which is a real challenge to implementation across a grand scale." - Brent Broussard"Put on the brakes a little bit. I know I told you to try it, but now we've got to be patient. We've got to let the technology catch up to our dreams." - Jerris JohnsonKey TakeawaysFocus on Enhancement, Not ReplacementUse the "Keystrokes Saved" Success MetricTreat AI Like Training an Infinitely Knowledgeable InternIdentify Your Workflow Constraints Before Adding AIStart Manual, Then Scale, Avoid Enterprise Tool DependencyBalance Enthusiasm with Reasonable Expectations⁠Help us improve our podcast! Share your thoughts in our quick survey.⁠⁠⁠⁠ResourcesNeed Help With A Project? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Dudley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need Help with Staffing? Connect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dudley Staffing ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Streamline Your Title Process with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dudley Select Title⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch On ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Dudley Land Co. On ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe To Our Newsletter, The Land Dept. MonthlyHave Questions? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Jerris Johnson⁠The Real Deal Landman Show⁠Connect with Jerris on⁠ LinkedIn⁠More from Our HostsConnect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brent⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on LinkedInConnect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on LinkedIn

January 22, 2026Episode 561 hr 1 min

056 - Day Rates, Mentorship, and the Future of Field Work with Kyle Reynolds

AAPL President Kyle Reynolds sheds light on the landman compensation crisis that's threatening the industry's future. While attorney salaries jumped 76% since 2000, field landmen still earn the same $400-500 day rates they have for the past 25 years. That puts them below the living wage in most markets. Reynolds shares AAPL's strategic plan to address the talent shortage before 40-50% of field landmen retire, plus insights on recruiting across oil, gas, and renewables.What You’ll LearnWhy field landman day rates haven't increased since 2000, despite doubled costsThe real numbers behind the landman talent shortage and aging workforceHow AAPL is tackling compensation conversations without price-fixingWhy field experience matters more than ever for career advancementSmart strategies for justifying higher contractor rates to operatorsTime Stamps00:42 - Episode & Guest Intro00:54 - Kyle's Journey as AAPL President02:15 - The Evolving Role of Landmen02:45 - Impact of Media and Education on Landmen04:31 - Recruitment and Training Challenges07:44 - Field vs. In-House Landmen11:37 - The Importance of Mentorship17:51 - Economic Realities and Compensation26:46 - The Future of Landmen and Technology35:11 - Understanding Brokerage Fees and Costs36:10 - The Importance of Skilled Labor in Drilling Projects37:54 - The Value of Investing in Quality Landmen38:49 - Challenges and Strategies in Land Management47:18 - The Debate on Licensing for Landmen51:35 - Innovative Approaches to Land ManagementSnippets from the Episode"Field landman day rates have been pretty stagnant, $400 to $500 a day in 2000, and that's still what they're making today. In 2000, a field landman made more than the average attorney. Fast forward 25 years, attorneys are up 50-something percent versus five." - Kyle Reynolds"If you just look at inflation, $400 in 2000 is $770 today. You took what was a really high-paying job and now you're scraping." - Kyle Reynolds"Texas is the only place that our field landmen are making money above the living wage standard. You could make more money working at Buc-ee's than doing this work on an hourly basis." - Kyle Reynolds"The forward face of your company is not your VP of land, it's the landman who actually took the lease and said, 'We're going to take care of you, Mr. Jones.'" - Kyle Reynolds"About 40-50% of our members are nearing retirement age. Most of those are the ones out in the field, brokers, independent landmen. That's where there really is this age gap." - Kyle ReynoldsKey TakeawaysField landmen earn below living wage in most US marketsDay rates flat since 2000 while attorney pay increased 76%40-50% of field landmen approaching retirement creates talent crisisCOPAS billing rates up 350% while landman rates stayed flatField experience essential for in-house career advancementTechnology requires mentorship can't replace human expertiseQuality contractors justify premium rates through measurable resultsHelp us improve our podcast! Share your thoughts in our quick survey.⁠⁠ResourcesNeed Help With A Project? ⁠⁠⁠Meet With Dudley⁠⁠⁠Need Help with Staffing? Connect with ⁠⁠⁠Dudley Staffing ⁠⁠⁠Streamline Your Title Process with ⁠⁠⁠Dudley Select Title⁠⁠⁠Watch On ⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠Follow Dudley Land Co. On ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠Subscribe To Our Newsletter, The Land Dept. MonthlyHave Questions? ⁠⁠⁠Email us⁠⁠⁠More from Our GuestKyle Reynolds - President - American Association of Professional LandmenConnect with Kyle on LinkedinMore from Our HostsConnect with ⁠⁠⁠Brent⁠⁠⁠ on LinkedInConnect with ⁠⁠⁠Khalil⁠⁠⁠ on LinkedIn

December 19, 2025Episode 5548 min

055 - Christmas Cocktail Hour 2025

Dudley Land executives review their record-breaking 2025 performance, hitting a 10-year high in business activity, while addressing the critical field landman workforce shortage through strategic rate increases and aggressive hiring plans. Get the inside perspective on leadership transitions, technology development, and 2026 expansion into right-of-way acquisition.What You’ll LearnHow Dudley achieved record 2025 performance across oil, gas, and renewablesWhy landman rate increases are finally happening industry-wideLeadership development strategies for scaling land management operationsTechnology solutions addressing field landman workforce challenges2026 expansion plans for right-of-way and new energy projectsTime Stamps00:00 - TLD 055 - Christmas Cocktail Hour 202500:59 - Reflecting on a Busy Year03:35 - Northeast Operations Update05:13 - Gas Prices and Gadgets12:03 - Landman Workforce Challenges21:41 - Growth & Standardization Initiatives24:33 - Exciting Developments for 202628:00 - Leadership Challenges and Reflections35:54 - Looking Ahead: Future Plans and Personal InsightsSnippets from the Episode"It's been something that has needed to happen, and we've tried to stick our neck out there a little bit just to try to tell the story and kind of tell the reality of it."- Brent Broussard on landman rate increases"We're seeing an aging workforce and the field landman is a crucial part of this business... The majority of the workforce is forties and older. So we've got to figure out a way to get those younger landmen in here."- Brandon Ward on workforce development"The biggest transition for me has been being able to let go of operations and finding my way to be not as involved in the day-to-day."- Brent Broussard on executive leadership evolutionKey TakeawaysRecord 2025 Performance Across All Energy SectorsStrategic Leadership Pipeline Development & Internal PromotionsIndustry-Wide Landman Rate Increases Finally HappeningAAPL Engagement in Field Landman Workforce SolutionsKudu Land Management System Ready for Market LaunchDudley Staffing Achieving 95% Operational Efficiency2026 Right-of-Way Business Expansion StrategyHelp us improve our podcast! Share your thoughts in our quick survey.⁠ResourcesNeed Help With A Project? ⁠⁠Meet With Dudley⁠⁠Need Help with Staffing? Connect with ⁠⁠Dudley Staffing ⁠⁠Streamline Your Title Process with ⁠⁠Dudley Select Title⁠⁠Watch On ⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠Follow Dudley Land Co. On ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠Subscribe To Our Newsletter, The Land Dept. MonthlyHave Questions? ⁠⁠Email us⁠⁠More from Our HostsConnect with ⁠⁠Brent⁠⁠ on LinkedInConnect with ⁠⁠Brandon⁠⁠ on LinkedInConnect with ⁠⁠Steve⁠⁠ on LinkedInConnect with ⁠⁠Khalil⁠⁠ on LinkedIn

October 30, 2025Episode 541 hr 8 min

054 - Inside Due Diligence: The Real Work Behind Energy Deals with Kyle Dubiel & Bryce Winters

Two industry experts break down the complete oil and gas M&A due diligence process from both buyer and broker perspectives. Kyle Dubiel from Eagle Mountain and Bryce Winters from Dudley Land Company walk through everything from pre-bid VDR evaluation to post-close integration, sharing real-world insights on team mobilization, defect identification, and timeline management.What You’ll LearnHow to structure and scope due diligence teams for maximum efficiencyThe critical importance of allocated value schedules in PSA negotiationsWhy most defects come from material contracts, not title issuesBest practices for VDR organization and early deal evaluationHow to balance diligence speed with thoroughness under tight deadlinesTime Stamps00:55 - Episode Intro02:23 - The Phases of Due Diligence04:15 - Understanding the Due Diligence Process09:10 - Evaluating Assets and Marketed Deals31:21 - Budgeting and Diligence Timeline31:46 - Allocation of Value in Bidding34:49 - Financing and Bank Allocated Value Schedules36:45 - Organizing Due Diligence Workflow40:58 - Handling Title Defects and Material Contracts42:44 - Defect Thresholds and Deductibles47:10 - Importance of Consents and Preferences49:53 - Due Diligence Workbooks and Team Structure59:44 - Post-Close Organizational Efforts01:03:40 - Final Thoughts and Best PracticesSnippets from the Episode“Due diligence is the Taco Bell of land work. It's great when you go into it, but by the time you're done, you say you'll never do that again."— Brent Broussard"The bulk of our defects are found in consents and contracts. That's where almost everything comes from."— Bryce Winters"You're trying to do something in 30 days that it took a company years to put together."— Brent Broussard"Communication is key. If you can do that with whoever you're working with, you're gonna set yourself up for success."— Kyle Dubiel"The greatest thing about giving your team a heads up is that they think for free—you're not paying 'em on the clock."— Brent BroussardKey TakeawaysEarly Communication Prevents Timeline DisastersMaterial Contracts Drive Most Modern Title DefectsAllocated Value Schedules Determine Team StructureVDR Quality Signals Asset Management CompetencyDefect Thresholds Require Strategic Portfolio ThinkingPost-Close Organization Maximizes Diligence InvestmentClear Objectives Lists Keep Teams FocusedHelp us improve our podcast! Share your thoughts in our quick survey.⁠⁠ResourcesNeed Help With A Project? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Dudley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need Help with Staffing? Connect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dudley Staffing ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Streamline Your Title Process with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dudley Select Title⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch On ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Dudley Land Co. On⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have Questions? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More From Our GuestsKyle Dubiel - Vice President of BD, Land & Legal at Eagle Mountain Energy PartnersEagle Mountain Energy Partners websiteConnect with Kyle on LinkedInBryce Winters - Land Director - Western US, Dudley Land CompanyConnect with Bryce on LinkedInMore from Our HostsConnect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brent⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on LinkedInConnect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Khalil ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on LinkedInConnect With UsReady 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.

October 16, 2025Episode 5350 min

053 - When Landmen Get Sued: Legal Survival Guide with Lee Carr & Brian Wittpenn

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 LearnWhy avoiding litigation entirely is impossible (and the only foolproof method)Essential documentation practices that can save or sink your caseHow to handle agency disclosure requirements without killing dealsWhat to do immediately when served with a lawsuit or subpoenaCommunication strategies that protect you in adversarial situationsTime Stamps00:57 - Episode & Guest Intro01:37 - Landmen and Lawsuits02:58 - Avoiding Litigation as a Landman05:07 - Contract Disputes and Settlements07:35 - Deposition Costs and Realities09:54 - Ethics and Best Practices11:54 - Agency and Disclosure18:51 - Documentation and Process23:26 - Offers and Counter Offers26:12 - Importance of Termination Dates in Offers28:01 - Handling Legal Trouble: Initial Steps35:09 - Understanding Subpoenas and Document Retention40:41 - Best Practices for Professional Communication42:46 - File Retention47:48 - Episode Takeaways49:38 - Episode OutroSnippets 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"Dance as if nobody's watching, but text and email as if it'll be read aloud in court one day."— Lee Carr"The best thing is don't ignore it. Litigation's not like a cold that just goes away if you try to ride it out."— Lee CarrKey TakeawaysLitigation avoidance is impossible—focus on risk mitigationClear agency disclosure protects against liability exposureDocument everything but qualify your work product limitationsProfessional communication standards prevent costly mistakesImmediate legal counsel engagement when litigation hitsSubpoena compliance requires understanding jurisdictional limitsFile retention policies must be documented and consistently appliedHelp us improve our podcast! Share your thoughts in our quick survey.⁠ResourcesNeed Help With A Project? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Dudley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need Help with Staffing? Connect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dudley Staffing ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Streamline Your Title Process with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dudley Select Title⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch On ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Dudley Land Co. On⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have Questions? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More From Our GuestsLee Carr on LinkedInBrian Wittpenn on LinkedInKearney, McWilliams & Davis, PLLC websiteMore from Our HostsConnect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brent⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on LinkedInConnect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Khalil ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on LinkedInConnect With UsReady 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.