The Duties of the Holder of the Executive Right to Minerals

In the case of Texas Outfitters, LLC vs. Nicholson, the Texas Supreme Court examined the holder of the executive right’s duty of utmost good faith and fair dealing to non-participating mineral interest owners. In Texas Outfitters, the holder of the executive right to lease minerals refused to sign a lease which the owner of a non-participating mineral interest alleged it should have signed.

A company called Texas Outfitters, LLC purchased over a thousand acres, including 1/24th of the mineral rights, as well as the exclusive right to lease 11/24th of the mineral rights retained by the sellers of the property. At the time, the land was not leased and had no oil and gas production. Approximately a decade after the sale of the land, the owners of the remaining 50 percent of the minerals leased to El Paso Oil Exploration and Production Company. El Paso made the same offer to Texas Outfitters; however, Texas Outfitters refused to lease even though the sellers made it clear to Texas Outfitters that they wanted Texas Outfitters to lease. Ultimately, the sellers filed suit against Texas Outfitters for breaching its duty of good faith and fair dealing as the executive holder of the right to lease the mineral rights. The sellers sought damages in the amount that they lost due to Texas Outfitters refusing to lease the mineral rights.

At a bench trial, the trial court found in favor of the sellers, holding that Texas Outfitters did not act in good faith and breached its duty as the holder of the executive right. The case was eventually appealed to the Texas Supreme Court. The Court looked at the history of the executive right and ultimately held that, in this case, Texas Outfitters breached its duty of good faith and fair dealing where it engaged in acts of self-dealing to the benefit of its interest in the surface estate and to the detriment of the owners of the mineral estate. The Court stated that Texas Outfitters, in refusing to lease the mineral rights, did so “in acts of self-dealing that unfairly diminished the value of the non-executive interest.” This action “crossed the line” bringing Texas Outfitters, LLC into the realm of breaching its duty to the non-executive rights holder.

Attorney Gregory D. Jordan is an oil and gas attorney with offices in the Austin area. To learn more, visit https://www.theaustintriallawyer.com/

Law Offices of Gregory D. Jordan
5608 Parkcrest Drive, Suite 310
Austin, Texas 78731
Call: 512-419-0684