Biography
Peter has more than 40 years of experience representing clients in the energy and natural resources area. He has advised clients concerning all aspects of exploration, production, transportation, processing, sale and marketing of oil and gas and other natural resources. Peter not only advises clients with regard to oil and gas matters, but also has many years experience with regard to the exploration, production, transportation and leasing of hard minerals, including coal and uranium. Peter has also advised clients concerning the sale and purchase of natural gas storage facilities and secondary recovery operations. He advises clients regarding the formation of and use of various entities, both public and private, and the financing of the acquisition and development of oil and gas, coal, uranium, and related assets.
Peter represents clients in the preparation and negotiation of merger and acquisition agreements, purchase and sale agreements, joint exploration agreements, lease acquisition agreements, seismic option agreements, leases, operating agreements, farmouts, oil and gas sales contracts, transportation agreements, processing agreements, pipeline construction and operating agreements, easement agreements, and other related documents. In addition, he advises and prepares surface use agreements to provide for the protection and development of both the surface and mineral estates and has more than 40 years experience in title examination and the preparation of title opinions, title curative documents, conveyancing instruments and other land title related agreements. Peter also has many years of experience with regard to regulatory matters concerning the oil and gas industry.
Peter also represents many landowners, including owners of large Texas ranches, negotiating and preparing oil and gas leases, surface use agreements, rights of way, easements and royalty agreements.
Peter also represents landowners in land title and royalty litigations.
Peter also serves as a mediator of oil and gas and land title disputes.
Peter’s experience in oil and gas matters includes not only Texas but other states where he has been instrumental in advising parties concerning oil and gas interests located in the Marcellus Shale areas of New York, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
Peter has been involved in general business transactions, acquisitions and other matters for many years. He represents parties concerning oil and gas interests located in the Barnett Shale of North Texas and is very active representing clients in the Eagle Ford Shale located in South Texas. He also works extensively in the Marcellus Shale in New York, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. For many years Peter has also advised clients regarding the purchase and sale of small and large rural properties and ranches throughout the State of Texas.
Education
B.A., University of Texas at El Paso
J.D., St. Mary’s University School of Law
Bar Admissions
Texas, 1979
Board Certifications
Oil, Gas, and Mineral Law
Peter is a frequent lecturer around the State of Texas at various CLE sponsored events concerning oil and gas issues, land titles, title insurance and other real estate related topics, including writing articles for and speaking at the 50th Annual Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute in 2004, the 23rd, the 29th and the 32nd Annual Advanced Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Course in 2005, 2011 and 2014 and the 33rd, 35th and 37th Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Institutes in 2007, 2009 and 2011. Peter has also written articles for the Section Report of the Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (December 2008 and June 2011) and wrote an article in the November 14, 2011, edition of the Texas Lawyer magazine on representing land owners in oil and gas leasing transactions.
- The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.)
- Oil & Gas Law, 2019-2021
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Environmental & Energy Lawyers – Energy, Environment & Natural Resources, 2021
- “Best S.A. Lawyers” List, San Antonio Scene, 2007-2009, 2012-2014, 2017-2020
- Energy & Oil & Gas
- Real Estate Transactions
- Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2009-2011, 2016-2020
- Who’s Who in Energy, San Antonio Business Journal, 2012-2014
- Outstanding Lawyer, San Antonio Business Journal, 2011
- Texas Bar Foundation, Life Sustaining Fellow
- St Mary’s University School of Law, Distinguished Graduate, 2013
Speeches
- “Follow the Money!” Oil and Gas Leases and Division Orders, Presented at the San Antonio Bar Association Natural Resources Section Meeting (July 2006, revised 2012)
- “To Whom it May Concern” – Title To The Title Opinion and the Duty of the Examiner, 33rd Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas & Mineral Law Institute (March 2007), St. Mary’s University School of Law Homecoming 2008, State Bar of Texas Oil, Gas and Mineral Title Examination Course (June 2014)
- Title To Uranium and Other Minerals (Still Crazy After All These Years), Section Report of the Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law of the State Bar of Texas (December 2008)
- “What am I Missing?” Mineral Title Examination and Due Diligence: Selected Pitfalls and Problems, Ernest E. Smith Oil & Gas Mineral Law Institute (March 2009)
- “Are We There Yet?” The Start and Finish of an Oil and Gas Lease, 37th Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Institute (April 2011); Section Report of the Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law of the State Bar of Texas (September 2011); 40th Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil & Gas Mineral Law Institute (March 2014)
- “What Am I Still Missing?” Mineral Title Examination and Due Diligence: Additional Selected Pitfalls and Problems, St Mary’s University School of Law Homecoming CLE and Reunion Review of Oil & Gas Law (March 2011)
- “Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are:” Constructive Notice of Unrecorded Agreements in Oil and Gas Titles, State Bar of Texas 29th Annual Advanced Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Course (October 2011)
- Representing Mineral Owners In Negotiating Oil and Gas Leases, Texas Lawyer (November 14, 2011)
- Hydraulic Fracturing: Regulatory Developments, Land Use, and Water Resource Conflicts, (with Leonard Dougal and John B. McFarland) TexasBar CLE Webcast (February 2012)
- The Future of Regulation in Hydraulic Fracturing, (presented with John McFarland and Brenda L. Clayton), State Bar of Texas 34th Annual Advanced Real Estate Law Course (July 2012)
- Quench My Thirst: Water Rights in the Context of Water Treatment Technologies, State Bar of Texas Advanced Real Estate Seminar, July 11, 2013
- Understanding Oil and Gas Leases, Lorman Education Services (2013 and 2014)
- “Where There is a Well There is a Way:” Out Tract Title Issues Regarding Horizontal Wells, State Bar of Texas 32nd Annual Advanced Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Course (October 2014)
Publications
- Co-Author, “The Sand Paper: The Anatomy of Acquiring, Divesting, and Leasing Sand,” 46th Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Institute (March 2020)
- Joint Editorial Board for the Texas Title Examination Standards published in the Texas Property Code
- Adjunct Professor of Law, St. Mary’s University School of Law
- St. Mary’s University, Board of Regents
- St. Mary’s Law Foundation, President
- St. Mary’s Law School Alumni Association, President
- Created “Leopold-Hosey” Scholarship
- Texas Bar Foundation, Sustaining Life Fellow
- San Antonio Bar Association – Natural Resources Committee, Former President
- State Bar of Texas – Oil, Gas, and Energy Resources Law Section, Council Member
- Chair, 2017-2018
- Vice-President, 2015-2016
- Secretary, 2014-2015
- Treasurer, 2013-2014
- Editor, Reporter, 2012-2013
- State Bar College – Real Estate and Probate Section, Member
- Texas Property Code – Texas Title Examination Standards, Joint Editorial Board