Course Syllabus
Contact Information
Course Details
For a list of course activities, scroll to the bottom of this page.
Course Description
The format of this course has been designed to give students a general understanding of oil and gas laws. We will focus on both surface and mineral ownership and how these important legal concepts impact oil and gas field operations. Students will gain an understanding of concepts related to production well ownership including how joint operating agreements govern these relationships. The class will review various environmental laws and regulations and how they apply to the industry. Finally, we will explore the important relationship that exists between governmental entities and the oil and gas industry.
Course Materials
Bethany McClean, Saudi America: The Truth About Fracking and How It's Changing the World
Oil, Gas, and Environmental Law.
(Owen Anderson, et al), Oil and Gas Law and Taxation
All required course material can be found in the Canvas course outside of the texts listed above.
Grades
Breakdown
| Activity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Discussions/Live Sessions | 20% |
| Homework: Lecture Questions | 15% |
| Homework: Regulatory Activities | 5% |
| Midterm Exam | 30% |
| Final Exam | 30% |
| Total Percentage | 100% |
Scale
The final course grade will be determined based on the following table:
| Letter Grade | Percentage |
|---|---|
| A | 90% or more |
| B | 80-89% |
| C | 70-79% |
| D | 60-69% |
| F | Less than 60% |
Course Components
Discussions, Live Sessions, and Office Hours
There are discussion boards listed bi-weekly to highlight any questions for the current content in the course, these are a tool for the faculty to be aware of any questions or concerns. They are optional. Live Sessions will involve discussions for the course and are grade-bearing activities every other week throughout the course and are part of the NGEM program requirements. If you are unable to participate, you have a make-up activity listed. Office Hours are scheduled during the opposite weeks at the same time for student convenience but attendance is never required. If you need to meet at an alternate time, please contact the faculty to make arrangements.
Homework: Lecture Assignment Questions & Regulatory Activity
Our homework assignments will allow you to practice before you're tested on the concepts in the exam. The Lecture Assignment questions are listed for every week there is a lecture to watch. There are two Regulatory Activity assignments scheduled within the course.
Final & Midterm Exams
You will take a midterm and a final exam. These will consist of True/False, multiple-choice, and short answer questions. The procedure for taking the exam will be outlined in Canvas.
Course Policies
Communication
You may contact me via the messaging system in Canvas ("Inbox", on the left menu) or by email.
Late Policy
No make-ups for missing the exam. Only very special requests may be considered in advance on a case-by-case basis.
Course Evaluations
The Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering utilizes student ratings as one of the bases for evaluation in the teaching effectiveness of each of its faculty members. The results of these ratings are important data used by the faculty members to improve their own teaching effectiveness, and programs use the data to assess the achievement of a set of learning outcomes. The original request for the use of these forms came from students, and it is the students who eventually benefit most from their use. Please take this task seriously, evaluate courses online, and respond as honestly and precisely as possible, both to the machine-scored items and to the open-ended questions. We appreciate your feedback.
Tentative Course Schedule
The course is composed of thirteen specific class presentations. These presentations broadly cover the mineral estate, the oil gas lease, oil and gas contracts, environmental issues, and government and global policy issues.
University Academic Policies and Student Support
Course Catalog
Search the OU Course Catalogue.
Student Handbook
Please familiarize yourself with the OU Student Handbook.
Online Library
Access digital materials and other resources at OU Libraries.
Academic Misconduct
In addition to the course conduct policies outlined by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Graduate Student Handbook.
It is the responsibility of each student to be familiar with the definitions, policies, and procedures concerning academic misconduct. The Student Code is available from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, and is contained in the Student's Guide to Academic Integrity.
This site also defines misconduct, provides examples of prohibited conduct, and explains the sanctions available for those found guilty of misconduct.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is basically no college-level assignment that can be satisfactorily completed by copying. OU's basic assumption about writing is that all written assignments show the student's own understanding in the student's own words. That means all writing assignments, in class or out, are assumed to be composed entirely of words generated (not simply found) by the student, except where words written by someone else are specifically marked as such with proper citation. Including other people's words in your paper is helpful when you do it honestly and correctly. When you don't, it's plagiarism.
For more information about plagiarism, watch this video and then take this short course offered by University Libraries.
Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities
The University of Oklahoma is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for all students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who require accommodations in this course should contact their professor as early in the semester as possible.
Students with disabilities must be registered with the Disability Resource Center prior to receiving accommodations in this course.
If you have a disability and you would like to make a request for reasonable accommodation, please see the Graduate Student Handbook or get in touch with the Disability Resource Center.
Adjustments for Pregnancy/Childbirth Related Issues
Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss your options. Generally, modifications will be made where medically necessary and similar in scope to accommodations based on temporary disability. Learn more about the rights of pregnant and parenting students by consulting the FAQ sheets provided by the Institutional Equity Office.
Title IX Resources
For any concerns regarding gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, or intimate partner violence, the University offers a variety of resources, including advocates on-call 24/7, counseling services, mutual no-contact orders, scheduling adjustments, and disciplinary sanctions against the perpetrator. Please contact the Sexual Misconduct Office 405-325-2215 (8-5, M-F) or OU Advocates 405-615-0013 (24/7) to learn more or to report an incident.
Religious Holidays
It is the policy of the University to excuse absences of students that result from religious observances and to provide for the rescheduling of examinations and additional required classwork that may fall on religious holidays without penalty. It is the responsibility of the student to make alternate arrangements with the instructor at least one week prior to the actual date of the religious holiday.
Copyright Policy
It is illegal to download, upload, reproduce, or distribute any copyrighted material, in any form and in any fashion, without permission from the copyright holder or his/her authorized agent. The University of Oklahoma expects all members of its community to comply fully with federal copyright laws. If such laws appear to have been violated by any user, the university reserves the right (1) to terminate that user’s access to some or all of the university’s computer systems and information resources and (2) to take additional disciplinary actions as deemed necessary or appropriate. Repeat offenders will be sanctioned and their privileges terminated.
Registration and Withdrawal
If you choose to withdraw from this course, you must complete the appropriate University form and turn the form in before the deadline. If you stop attending the course and doing the coursework without doing the required paperwork, your grade will be calculated with missed homework and examination grades entered as zero. This could result in receiving a grade of F in the course. Deadlines are shown in the Academic Calendar, which is available from the Office of the Registrar.
Student Grievances
In addition to any policies outlined related to submitting an informal or formal grievance by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Graduate Student Handbook for more information about the process of submitting a formal grievance.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|