OU College of Law has designed programs for both nonlawyers and lawyers to master the complexity of Energy and Natural Resources law.
FOR NON-LAWYERS
This program offers a competitive advantage to nonlawyers in the energy industry that negotiate oil and gas contracts, deal with mineral rights, real estate transactions, or work closely with energy attorneys.
The M.L.S in Energy and Natural Resources Law is accredited by the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL). AAPL accreditation recognizes top-tier graduate programs in energy and petroleum land management, ensuring graduates are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and diverse perspectives needed to excel as the next generation of land professionals.
This program allows lawyers practicing energy law to further their specialization or prepares lawyers to transition into an energy law practice. The program is focused on the entire energy lifecycle – including courses on oil and gas contracts, upstream, midstream, downstream and water law.
Given the rich history of more than 100 years of energy education at the University of Oklahoma, OU infuses energy expertise throughout the institution. The College of Law’s prime oil and gas expertise, fueled by its location, makes it the ultimate hub for Energy and Natural Resources law.
OU College of Law has 100 years of energy expertise and collaborates with faculty from the Price College of Business and the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy. Both colleges give you access to robust alumni networks across top energy companies.
Learn from a carefully curated selection of expert OU Law faculty and experienced adjuncts who are specialized in Energy, Natural Resources and Oil and Gas law.
Build close relationships with your dedicated cohort for a collaborative, enriched learning journey. OU Law’s attentive staff also help to ensure your success, fostering an optimal environment for your academic growth.
Online classes offer busy working professionals like you the flexibility to complete the program independently from anywhere. You can complete the online program in just 15 months, enabling you to expand your career opportunities more quickly.
To apply to the online M.L.S program, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university (or the international equivalent).
To apply for the LL.M. program, applicants must have earned their first law degree — LL.B., J.D., or equivalent.
Your experience is important. Include detailed and professionally formatted documentation of your past education and work experience.
Include a 300–500-word statement on career goals and how the program aligns with those goals. Address educational history, including any disparity in undergrad GPA, and significant life events leading to the decision to apply to graduate school.
The program does not require the LSAT exam; however, students must be proficient in the English language. If English is not an applicant’s primary language, please refer to the OU Admissions website to review English proficiency requirements.
Credits: 2
This course explores the formation, drafting, interpretation, and enforceability of contractual promises. From leases to joint operating agreements, energy supply, and price hedging transactions, the energy industry is dominated by contracts. Utilizing examples from the industry, this course provides an introduction suited to non-lawyers of the legal framework surrounding contracts. Subjects include contract formation, performance, termination of contracts, material breach, remedies for breach of contract, mistake and excuse for nonperformance, statute of frauds, interpretation of contract language, conditions, assignment and delegation, and third- party beneficiaries.
Credits: 2
This course introduces basic property concepts relevant for the oil, gas, and energy industries, including: adverse possession, estates in land, mineral title, surface title, co-ownership, and non- possessory interests (including easements, real covenants and equitable servitudes).
Credits: 2
This course covers the nature of property interests in oil and gas including: conveyancing of interests in oil and gas; legal interests created by oil and gas leases; validity of leases; habendum, drilling, and rental clauses; assignment of interests of lessor and lessee; rents and royalties; and conservation of oil and gas.
Credits: 1
This course provides students with an understanding of the most efficient tools and methods for energy-related research.
Credits: 2
How does one discover a client’s objectives and then translate them into legal text (contracts, etc.) that has the best chance of accomplishing what the client wants? This skills course considers many different forms of legal drafting, focusing primarily on legal work intended for oil and gas contracts and surface-related agreement drafting.
Credits: 1
This course presents an overview of the production life cycle from discovery to development and production of oil and gas. The course examines the different roles of the key players in each stage of this process.
Credits: 3
This course examines the oil and gas leasing and development of onshore federal, state and Indian lands. This class will also consider the leasing of railroad rights of way and lands belonging to local governments.
Credits: 3
This course offers a practical skills approach to oil and gas practice. This course will examine the regulation of oil and gas exploration, development, and production, including conservation law designed to prevent waste and protect correlative rights. The class will address securing a drilling permit, settling surface damages, well spacing and density regulations for both vertical and horizontal wells, the regulation of hydraulic fracturing, compulsory pooling, and compulsory unitization.
Credits: 2
This course studies the terms and legal issues involved in drafting, executing, enforcing, and recording real estate contracts. Students will learn about the details of obtaining and evaluating title evidence, different types of deeds, and basic financing.
Credits: 2
In this course, students will examine federal and state environmental laws that affect oil and gas lease transactions, drilling and completion operations, and production activities.
Credits: 3
Credits: 1
This course examines laws relating to the preparation of a drilling title opinion and a division order title opinion in Oklahoma, Texas, and other states.
Credits: 1
This course provides an overview and examination of the legal issues facing the midstream oil and gas industry. The midstream industry provides the infrastructure necessary to gather, process, transport, store, and market crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and refined products.
Credits: 3
In this course, students examine specific provisions in contracts prevalent in the oil and gas industry for exploration, production, and development of oil and gas properties and for investment. Students will learn about the nature of the relationships created by such contracts, the rights and duties of the parties, and income tax consequences of contracts.
Credits: 2
Credits: 2
Credits: 2
A study of the terms and legal issues involved in drafting, executing, enforcing, and recording real estate contracts, including obtaining and evaluating title evidence, different types of deeds, and basic financing.
Credits: 2
Credits: 1
This course presents an overview of the production life cycle from discovery to development and production of oil and gas. The course examines the different roles of the key players in each stage of this process.
Credits: 1
Credits: 1
The system of water rights as related for energy extraction and development, including riparian, appropriation, and prescriptive rights; stream, surface, and ground water; transfer and termination of rights; injuries caused by water; development of water supplies; federal-state, interstate, and intrastate conflicts; water pollution control; federal and Indian rights; and federal water resource problems.
Credits: 3
Offers a practical skills approach to oil and gas practice. This course will examine the regulation of oil and gas exploration, development, and production, including conservation law designed to prevent waste and protect correlative rights. The class will address securing a drilling permit, settling surface damages, well spacing and density regulations for both vertical and horizontal wells, the regulation of hydraulic fracturing, compulsory pooling, and compulsory unitization.
Credits: 3
Examines the oil and gas leasing and development of onshore federal, state and Indian lands. This class will also consider the leasing of railroad rights of way and lands belonging to local governments.
Credits: 2
Credits: 3
Examination of specific provisions in contracts prevalent in the oil and gas industry for exploration, production, and development of oil and gas properties and for investment; the nature of the relationships created by such contracts; the rights and duties of the parties; income tax consequences of particular contracts.
Credits: 3
The course examines the study of the relevant law relating to and the preparation of a drilling title opinion and a division order title opinion in Oklahoma, Texas, and other states.
Credits: 2
Examines federal and state environmental laws that affect oil and gas lease transactions, drilling and completion operations, and production activities.
