Internship Lessons Learned: SM Energy, Allie Huizenga

I was very excited to intern at SM Energy this summer in a Land Administration role. Going into it I did not have any idea of what would be in store. No one in industry really talks about Land Administration and what goes on, so I was very excited to see what would be in store for my internship. Land Administration is not what many think it is. It is a very important part of a Land department and I learned that first hand this summer.

I began working in Lease Records for my first half of my summer. As I came to find out this is the where the most analytical work comes into play. Those skills like attention to detail and organization truly come into play. Analysts receive the specific document (in my case Rights of Way) and with the system the analyst pulls all the information that is most important and captures it. This truly requires a keen eye for pulling the correct provisions or obligations for the Landman/Analyst to track easily.

Division Orders entails even more analytical information. They are the ones tasked with tracking people interest whether it is the Feds or a simple Royalty Owner. It does require a lot of excel calculations but, it is not just “sitting in a cube and making numbers add to one”. It is so much more. It requires analysts to know statutes and families personally to resolve people. As my coach put it Land will always need Division Order Analysts because people die, and interest will be transferred.

SM Energy did a great job with seeing both departments work together and Land Administration as a whole and working closely with the Regional Land Departments. Not all companies are like this though. Some work completely separate from one another or at other, analysts will do both Division Orders and Lease Records for their specific wells. However, don’t be deterred if you get offered a Land Administration offer. From everyone I talked to, the best Landmen are those that truly understand both sides of the Land Department.

The pictures I added along with this Letters from the Road are those from a field trip I got to attend along with the Billings Interns to Wyoming which just so happened to fall on my 20th birthday (what a way to spend it right?). What is actually really cool about these two wells that we visited (one a frac site and the other a rig) were wells that I actually had the chance to work on. The well that was being fracked was my favorite because I saw the process from Lease Records to Division Orders. The rig was a well that I also worked with on the Lease Records side. I was truly grateful and lucky to have an experience that many do not get of working on the same wells in both Lease Records and Division Orders.

Overall my advice would be take a Land Administration internship if it is offered. It truly will only benefit you in the long run and make you a better Landman. If you put your mind to anything and use the skills that we work on during recruiting and classes you will only succeed in industry.

Allie Huizenga

Internship Lessons Learned: Whiting, Ksenyia Kudzelich

A year ago I couldn’t even imagine what my life would be like and what I would be doing. Now I am finishing my internship at Whiting Petroleum, and I am very sad to leave – the people, the work I am doing, and my lifestyle. There are way too many things I would love to share with you, but I outlined the main ones that I find helpful.

• Detail orientation. I remember last year it was one of the most repeatedly mentioned skills that everyone must have in order to succeed. Yes, it is very necessary, but hey, don’t let it scare you away! If you don’t think you are that detail-oriented, it doesn’t mean you are destined to fail. It’s an acquired skill; it will take a lot of practice and time, but you can get there. Just don’t give up on it and practice, practice, practice.

• Don’t be in a hurry, ever! Take your time (within a reason), and double check, triple check your work. No one will benefit from a sloppy done job, especially you.

• Don’t be picky at school – learn everything. I was surprised at how many non-oil and gas classes helped me throughout my internship: Excel, accounting, business communication (!) and even psychology.

•  When working on a project, dig it. Read court cases, try to connect the dots, ask yourself why it’s happening and who benefits from it, no matter what the project is. Enjoy what you are doing. If you try to finish an assignment just to finish, there is no point (and I am just speaking for myself, that might be an arguable statement). People that come in the industry with high expectations and a closed mind don’t fail, but they are not noticed – there are way too many folks like that. Again, someone might argue. 

• Work for the job and then the job will work for you. Stay a little longer, do more than asked, walk an extra mile – and you will benefit from it. You will learn so much more, and the job will get more interesting, cases will get more complicated and fun. Do you want more? If yes, take this advice.

• Be yourself. Seriously, just be yourself.

And last but not least, it’s better to try the internship once than hear about it a hundred times. Get yourself out there, this is fun!

I just wanted to thank many people that made my summer happen, starting with Menon that gave me confidence, opportunity, and believed in me, Jeff and alumni that constantly develop the program, Whiting that saw the potential and took me on board. I love my job!! Denver likes Western, so let’s keep up this way. Western Up!

KK

Greetings from Anchorage, Alaska!

I arrived in Anchorage this week for the 61^st Annual Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Annual Institute. Some of you may already be familiar with the organization, having attended the Title Examination course in Denver this spring, or perhaps have visited one of the many seminars they offer on various oil and gas topics throughout the Denver area. I’ve always been impressed by the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation’s Institutes. Not only are the topics relevant and interesting, but it’s also a great chance to rub elbows with some of the most prolific oil and gas professionals in the world.  

I had to turn my game face on as soon as I arrived at the airport gate. Familiar faces popped up everywhere- I recognized board members from the organization, partners from big oil and gas law firms in Denver, former government officials, and legendary attorneys and professors that have been working in oil and gas since before my parents were born. At least 50% of the passengers on the flight from Denver to Anchorage were people headed to the conference. I said “hello” and re-introduced myself to the familiar faces. I knew right off the bat that it would be an incredible learning experience.

The content of the conference covered a wide spectrum of topics. There were sections on mining, public land use, and oil & gas law, water law, and international resource development. I was particularly excited for in Saturday morning’s Landman section, and the presenters did not disappoint.

My favorite event was the Natural Resource Teachers Luncheon - for two reasons. First, the speaker, Betsy Baker from the University of Vermont, gave a very interesting presentation on ownership rights in the Arctic Ocean. She had spent time on icebreaker boats in the Arctic with scientists running seismic to measure the continental shelf. The purpose of these expeditions is to help determine who owns the Arctic Circle. Why do we care who owns the Arctic Circle? Because whoever has rights to the Arctic Circle can develop resources there. Nobody actually “owns” the Arctic Circle, but nations can have sovereignty to explore for and exploit natural resources in areas up to 200 nautical miles or to a certain geologically significant “kick off point” of the continental shelf. The sovereignty to explore for and exploit for natural resources includes oil and gas.  Whichever nation has sovereignty over that part of the Arctic can potentially drill for oil and gas in that area under its own terms and guidelines. Any parts of the ocean that fall outside of these boundaries are governed under the International Seabed Authority. It is estimated that there are approximately $1.3 TRILLION worth of recoverable resources (mostly oil and gas) in the Arctic, so its no surprise that we see the nations with potential claims to sovereignty over the Arctic (U.S. (via Alaska), Canada, Denmark (via Greenland), Norway, and Russia) investing quite a bit of money and science in to proving their ownership beyond 200 nautical miles.

Why is this relevant to oil and gas development, and to us as Landmen? As she presented, I started connecting the dots. Much like companies need to secure oil and gas leases to drill for and develop on onshore lands, we also need leases to develop offshore lands. If a nation has sovereignty over the area, it has the authority to regulate development and issue its own oil and gas leases (and profit from those leases). If the ocean area falls outside of any nations sovereignty, then a lease from the International Seabed Authority is required, which is a much less preferable option for the nations bordering the Arctic. It will take quite a bit of time for the dust to settle on identifying the sovereignty boundaries in the Arctic Circle, but once that is determined, we might see development in the Arctic similar to development in the Gulf of Mexico. Landmen would get involved in developing a regulatory structure, obtaining leases from the government, and working on agreements with other companies to jointly develop the area.  Who knew you might have the opportunity to work in the North Pole someday!

I mentioned there were two reasons this event was my favorite- the second reason is that this was my first chance to represent myself as an ambassador of Western. It was my first real opportunity to show off my affiliation and talk to my peers about the program. And let me tell you- I did so with pride! Before the presentation started, I boasted about the PLRM program at Western, and received a great response and good questions from the people at my table.

Its going to be tough leaving the untouched beauty that Alaska has to offer, but it makes it easier knowing that I’m coming back to a new home that’s just as beautiful (and where it actually gets dark at night!), and a new job where I can share all of the things I learned up here with students. I’m thankful for the opportunity to attend the conference, and excited about the starting the upcoming school year!

See you soon!

Jessica

Keep Calm and Network On

Greetings from Nashville and the 61st AAPL Annual Meeting.  Each year I travel to this meeting with one grand objective…networking.  This is a chance for me to practice what I preach in professional development class while chasing internships, $$ and awareness of the best land program in The Rockies.

I usually travel with industry friends that serve as my partners in crime and a networking crutch.  The easiest way to make new connections is to ride the coat tails of those that have established relationships in the industry.  When traveling with the well connected you gain immediate acceptance, provided that you are personable and look the part.  This year most of my industry friends were on travel lockdown requiring me to step up my networking game and really put myself out there.  From this year’s meeting I bring you some networking lessons learned:

Focus on quality, not quantity

Show genuine interest in the conversation. Go for quality of connections rather than the quantity of business cards you collect by the end of the night. Business cards aren't going to get you a job at the end of the day, but connections and strong relationships will. Write the event name on their business card, then follow up within 24 hours. 

  

Be likable

-Say nice things about other people, people unconsciously attribute the qualities of people you talk about to you as well.

-Be authentic, be vulnerable. Your personal story is a vehicle for connection. Stories are the best way to create a metaphor and allow other people to understand the type of thinker that you are.

-Be a good listener, it will draw people out.

Look Approachable

We’ve all seen people walking down a hall with their head down or sitting at a table engrossed with their phone. Body language speaks volumes, and they’re sending signals that they don’t want to be bothered. Instead, get interested in the people around you, a smile shows that you’re open to a conversation.

Move a conversation from chit-chat to meaningful with a few questions

-What do you do for fun?

-What are you most passionate about?

-What do you hope to take away from this event?

-What does your perfect new hire/business partner look like?

-What is the most important project or goal that you are working on?

Pushing out of my comfort zone enabled me to make some amazing new connections and grow as a professional.  I made new friends, opened doors and reinforced PLRM's place in the industry. Beyond all the career tangibles, I was inspired by my fellow conference attendees. Landmen are a diverse group, full of optimism and unwavering passion for their craft.  Opportunity is everywhere you just need to listen, ask smart questions and make yourself available. 

Keep calm and network on.

PS...I will be posting annual meeting education session materials later this month as they are available.