Oil and Gas Attorney in Amarillo, TX
Protecting Panhandle Landowners and Energy Interests Since 2012
The Texas Panhandle sits atop the Anadarko Basin — one of the most productive natural gas and oil-producing formations in North America. Whether you are a landowner dealing with a lease offer, a royalty dispute, or pipeline pressure, or an energy company navigating litigation in the Panhandle market, you need an oil and gas attorney in Amarillo, TX with the experience to match the complexity. At Stockard, Johnston, Brown, Netardus & Doyle, partner Kenneth Netardus has been practicing oil and gas law in the Texas Panhandle for nearly three decades — representing major oil companies, independent operators, and landowners in the full range of energy disputes this region produces.
Oil and Gas Law in the Texas Panhandle Requires Experience That Only Comes From Being Here
Oil and gas law is one of the most technically and legally complex practice areas in Texas. The issues that arise — lease negotiations, royalty calculations, mineral rights disputes, pipeline condemnation, surface damage, unitization — require an attorney who understands not only the applicable law but the industry itself: how energy companies structure deals, how leases are drafted to favor operators, where landowners most commonly get shortchanged, and how disputes in the Panhandle energy market typically play out. That understanding is not something you develop from a textbook. It comes from decades of practice in the industry.
Partner Kenneth Netardus has been practicing oil and gas law as an attorney in Amarillo, TX since 1994 — nearly three decades of experience representing clients on both sides of the energy industry. After earning his law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law, Kenneth practiced at Sparkman & Davison before joining Sprouse Shrader Smith as a shareholder, where he built his oil and gas, agriculture, and commercial litigation practice representing major energy companies and independent operators throughout the Panhandle. He joined Stockard, Johnston, Brown, Netardus & Doyle as a partner in 2013. His career spans the full arc of the Panhandle’s modern energy history — from the natural gas boom of the 1990s through the present day.
The firm represents both landowners and energy companies in oil and gas matters — which means we understand how these disputes look from both sides of the table. When we represent a landowner against an energy company, we know the arguments the operator will make, the experts they will hire, and the provisions in the lease they will rely on — because we have drafted those provisions and made those arguments on behalf of operators. That dual perspective makes us more effective on behalf of every client we represent.
Oil and Gas Matters We Handle for Panhandle Landowners and Energy Companies
If you need an oil and gas lease lawyer in Amarillo, Texas, the most important thing you can do is consult an attorney before you sign anything — not after. Oil and gas leases are drafted by energy company attorneys whose job is to protect the operator’s interests, not yours. The royalty rate, the lease term, the depth clause, the pooling and unitization provisions, the surface use agreement, the shut-in royalty clause, and the post-production cost deductions are all points of negotiation that can significantly affect what you ultimately receive from the production on your land. We review lease offers on behalf of landowners throughout the Texas Panhandle and negotiate terms that reflect the actual value of what the operator is receiving.
Royalty Disputes & Underpayment
As a royalty dispute attorney in Texas, we represent landowners who believe they are being underpaid on the royalties owed under their oil and gas leases. Royalty underpayment is one of the most common disputes in Texas energy law, and it takes many forms — improper deduction of post-production costs, incorrect calculation of the royalty base, failure to account for all production, and price manipulation. We review lease terms, production records, and payment histories to calculate what you should have received and pursue the difference, along with applicable interest and attorney’s fees under Texas law.
As a mineral rights attorney serving the Texas Panhandle, we handle disputes involving the ownership, conveyance, and use of mineral rights — including cases where surface and mineral rights have been severed and the parties disagree about the scope of each estate’s rights. Mineral rights disputes in Texas can involve competing ownership claims, title defects, adverse possession questions, and conflicts between surface owners and mineral estate holders whose rights allow surface access for energy production. We represent both surface owners and mineral rights holders in these disputes.
Pipeline Easements & Condemnation
As a pipeline easement attorney serving the Texas Panhandle, we represent landowners when pipeline companies seek to acquire easement rights across private property — whether through voluntary negotiation or through the exercise of eminent domain. Pipeline companies in Texas have the right of eminent domain, but landowners are entitled to just compensation for the easement, surface damage, and any diminution in property value resulting from the pipeline’s presence. The initial offer from a pipeline company is almost always below what the landowner is entitled to receive. We evaluate your property, document the impact of the easement, and pursue the full compensation you are owed.
Surface Damage Claims
When oil and gas operations damage your surface estate — through spills, equipment damage, road construction, soil compaction, or interference with agricultural operations — Texas law provides remedies for surface owners. We represent surface owners in claims against operators for surface damage, including claims under the Texas Surface Damage Act and common law negligence theories. If your property has been damaged by energy company operations, document the damage carefully and contact us before accepting any payment or signing any release.
Unitization & Pooling Disputes
Pooling and unitization are mechanisms that allow operators to combine multiple tracts of land into a single production unit — which affects the allocation of royalties among all the landowners in the unit. Disputes arise when landowners believe pooling was used improperly, when the unit boundaries are drawn in ways that minimize royalty payments, or when the production allocation methodology shortchanges individual tract owners. We represent landowners in pooling and unitization disputes and evaluate whether the pooling terms in your lease protect your interests appropriately.
Oil & Gas Title Opinions
Title opinions are legal documents that examine the chain of ownership of oil and gas rights and confirm who holds the rights to produce from a particular tract. Operators typically require a title opinion before commencing drilling operations, and landowners benefit from having independent title work performed before entering into a lease to confirm the scope of their own mineral estate. Kenneth Netardus has prepared and reviewed oil and gas title opinions throughout his career in the Panhandle energy market.
What Texas Landowners Need to Know Before an Energy Company Approaches
If an oil and gas company has contacted you about your property — whether to offer a lease, request access for seismic testing, or acquire an easement for a pipeline — the most important thing to understand is that you have rights, you have negotiating leverage, and you do not have to accept the first offer you receive. The energy company’s landman has done this hundreds of times. This may be the first time you have dealt with it. That information asymmetry is real, and it is one of the most important reasons to have a landowner rights attorney in Amarillo, TX in your corner before any agreement is signed.
Surface VS. Mineral Rights
In Texas, surface rights and mineral rights are separate property interests that can be owned by different parties. If you own the surface of your land but the mineral rights have been severed — conveyed to a prior owner, an energy company, or another party at some point in the chain of title — you may have limited ability to prevent energy production operations on your property, even though you own the land itself. Conversely, if you own the mineral rights under your land, you have the right to enter into a lease, receive royalty payments from production, and in some cases control the pace and scope of development. Understanding which interests you actually own is the starting point for any conversation about your rights.
Key Lease Terms Landowners Must Understand
If you do own mineral rights and an energy company offers you a lease, the terms of that lease will govern your relationship with the operator for years or decades. The royalty rate determines what percentage of production value you receive — and it is negotiable. The lease term and the conditions under which it can be held beyond the primary term affect how long the operator can sit on your minerals without producing.
Post-production cost deductions can significantly reduce your actual royalty payment even when production is strong. The pooling clause determines whether your minerals can be combined with neighboring tracts and how that affects your royalty allocation. Surface use restrictions protect your property from unnecessary damage during operations. Every one of these provisions is a negotiation — and having an attorney review the lease before you sign is not an extravagance. It is the most important thing you can do to protect what you own.
Before You Sign Any Oil and Gas Agreement — Call Us First
Once you sign a lease, an easement agreement, or a surface use agreement, the terms are binding for the duration of the document — often 5 to 10 years for a lease, and permanently for an easement. The time to negotiate is before you sign, not after. Our oil and gas attorneys review lease offers and easement agreements for landowners throughout the Texas Panhandle. The cost of a review is a fraction of what the wrong terms will cost you over the life of the agreement.
We Represent Both Sides of the Energy Industry
As an oil and gas attorney in Amarillo, TX, Kenneth Netardus has spent his career representing clients across the full spectrum of the energy industry — from major oil companies and independent operators to individual landowners and agricultural businesses whose land sits above producing formations. That breadth of experience informs everything we do for every client.
Individual Landowners & Families
Mineral rights owners and surface estate holders dealing with lease offers, royalty disputes, pipeline approaches, surface damage, and the full range of issues that arise when energy production intersects with private property.
Agricultural Operations
Farmers and ranchers whose land overlaps with producing oil and gas formations — including cases where energy production interferes with agricultural operations, water resources, or property values.
Independent Oil & Gas Operators
Smaller and mid-size energy companies operating in the Anadarko Basin and surrounding formations, requiring legal counsel for lease acquisition, title opinions, operational disputes, and litigation.
Major Energy Companies
Large oil and gas producers and pipeline companies with regional operations in the Texas Panhandle requiring experienced local litigation and transactional counsel.
Mineral Rights Investors
Individuals and entities that purchase, hold, and monetize mineral rights across the Texas Panhandle — including disputes over title, royalty payments, and lease management.
Nearly Three Decades of Panhandle Oil and Gas Experience
When you hire SJB Law Firm for an oil and gas matter, your case is handled by partner Kenneth Netardus — one of the most experienced oil and gas attorneys in Amarillo, TX practicing today. Kenneth earned his law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law in 1994 and has been practicing energy law in the Texas Panhandle ever since. His career spans nearly three decades of representing oil companies, independent operators, and landowners in the full range of oil and gas disputes the Panhandle produces.
Before joining SJB, Kenneth spent twelve years as a shareholder at Sprouse Shrader Smith — one of the Panhandle’s most established law firms — where he built his oil and gas, agriculture, and commercial litigation practice representing major energy companies and independent operators throughout the region. He joined Stockard, Johnston, Brown, Netardus & Doyle as a partner in 2013, bringing that depth of experience to a firm that now represents clients on both sides of the energy industry across the Anadarko Basin.
Kenneth’s practice is not just legally deep — it is geographically rooted. He has lived in Amarillo since 2001, when he and his wife Hillary — also a Texas Tech law graduate — moved to her hometown after law school. His daughters are active 4-H members who show livestock, and his understanding of the intersection between agriculture and energy in the Texas Panhandle goes beyond the legal framework. He has seen firsthand how energy production affects the families and farming operations that have worked this land for generations. That perspective shapes how he practices, and it is part of why landowners trust him with matters that can affect their property and their livelihoods for decades.
The Texas Panhandle Energy Market — Understanding the Local Landscape
The Texas Panhandle has been an energy-producing region for over a century. The Anadarko Basin — which extends from the Texas Panhandle through western Oklahoma and into Kansas — is one of the most prolific natural gas-producing formations in North America, and has been a significant oil-producing basin since the early 20th century. Hutchinson County, where our Borger office is located, was the site of one of the most significant oil booms in Texas history — the discovery of the Panhandle Oil Field in the 1920s transformed the region and established Borger as a major oil town. That legacy of energy production shapes the legal landscape of the Panhandle to this day.
The current Panhandle energy market is characterized by a mix of mature conventional production, active natural gas processing, pipeline infrastructure, and a growing wind energy sector. The Anadarko Basin continues to produce significant volumes of natural gas from formations including the Granite Wash, the Morrow, and the Brown Dolomite. Oil production from conventional formations remains active across Potter County, Randall County, and the surrounding region. Wind energy development has added a new dimension to the surface rights landscape, with wind easements now presenting the same legal questions for landowners that oil and gas easements have raised for generations.
The legal issues that arise in this market are as varied as the production itself — lease disputes in formations that have been producing for decades alongside new horizontal drilling programs, pipeline easements crossing agricultural land that families have worked for generations, royalty payment disputes involving complex post-production cost structures, and title questions arising from mineral conveyances that date back to the early 20th century. Navigating this landscape requires an attorney who has been practicing in the Panhandle energy market long enough to know its history, its players, and its patterns. That is what Kenneth Netardus and the SJB team bring to every oil and gas matter we handle.
Oil and Gas Law Questions — Answered
What should I do if an oil and gas company contacts me about my land?
Do not sign anything and do not give a verbal commitment before consulting an attorney. The company’s landman is experienced in lease and easement negotiations — this is likely your first time dealing with this. An attorney can review the offer, explain what it means, identify what terms are negotiable, and help you understand the long-term implications of what you are being asked to sign. Contact us before any agreement is made — once a lease or easement is signed, the terms are binding.
What is the difference between surface rights and mineral rights in Texas?
In Texas, surface rights refer to ownership of the land itself — the right to use and occupy the surface. Mineral rights refer to ownership of the oil, gas, and other minerals beneath the surface. These two estates can be owned by different parties — a process called severance. If your mineral rights have been severed from your surface rights, the mineral rights owner (or their lessee) generally has the right to access the surface to develop the minerals, subject to reasonable use limitations and applicable law. Understanding which interests you own is essential before engaging with any energy company.
Can I negotiate the terms of an oil and gas lease in Texas?
Yes. Oil and gas leases are negotiable documents, and the initial offer from a landman is rarely the operator’s best offer. Common negotiating points include the royalty rate, the primary term, depth and formation clauses, pooling provisions, post-production cost deductions, surface use restrictions, and shut-in royalty provisions. Having an attorney review the lease before you respond to the initial offer gives you the knowledge to negotiate effectively and the legal support to document agreed-upon changes properly.
What can I do if I believe my oil and gas royalties are being underpaid?
You may have a claim for royalty underpayment under your lease and under Texas law. Common causes of underpayment include improper post-production cost deductions, incorrect royalty base calculations, price manipulation, and failure to account for all production volumes. Texas law provides remedies including recovery of unpaid royalties, interest on the underpaid amounts, and in some cases attorney’s fees. The first step is a review of your lease, your division orders, and your payment history — contact us to discuss what you have been receiving and whether it reflects what you are owed.
Do I have to allow a pipeline company to cross my property in Texas?
Pipeline companies in Texas have the power of eminent domain, which means they can acquire easement rights across private property even without the landowner’s consent — as long as they pay just compensation. However, the initial compensation offer from a pipeline company is almost always below what the landowner is entitled to receive. You have the right to negotiate, the right to an independent appraisal, and the right to challenge the company’s valuation in court. An attorney can evaluate what the easement will actually cost you — in terms of property value, surface damage, and long-term restrictions — and pursue the full compensation you are owed.
Before You Sign Anything — Talk to an Oil and Gas Attorney
Whether you have received a lease offer, a pipeline approach, a royalty dispute, or a mineral rights question you cannot resolve on your own — the right time to call is now, before any commitment is made. Contact Stockard, Johnston, Brown, Netardus & Doyle for a consultation with an experienced oil and gas attorney serving the Texas Panhandle. We will review your situation, explain your options, and tell you exactly what your rights are.