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EPA Crackdown in the Permian Basin
They’ll shut you down—without warning. The 2025 EPA crackdown isn’t coming. It’s here. And Permian Basin operators are already feeling...
Derek Cook
Jul 301 min read
Commercial Leases
That “too good” lease? It could bankrupt your business. In the Permian boom, shady leases are everywhere. Landlords know cash is flowing...
Derek Cook
Jul 291 min read
Royalty Drains
They’re drilling your land—and draining your royalties. Oil companies have quietly turned lease loopholes into profit machines. The fine...
Derek Cook
Jul 261 min read
Custody Battles
Custody fights destroy peace. And your kids feel it first. It’s not just lawyers and paperwork. It’s missed birthdays. Tension at...
Derek Cook
Jul 251 min read
Investors Suing
They don’t drill. They sue. In $50 oil markets, some investors aren’t chasing production—they’re chasing title defects. They buy up...
Derek Cook
Jul 231 min read
$50 Oil
When oil hits $50 a barrel, your unpaid invoice becomes their emergency fund. That’s the shift I see every time the market dips....
Derek Cook
Jul 181 min read
Delayed Treatment
You waited 12 months to treat your injury—and the jury noticed. That gap matters. To you, it’s just life. To them, it’s a red flag....
Derek Cook
Jul 171 min read
Oilfield Custody
Who gets custody when dad works 14 and 7? A lot of judges don’t like the answer. But the oilfield is different. And your case should be...
Derek Cook
Jul 161 min read
Old Warrants
Warrant. Years old. But now, you’re in cuffs. That’s not bad luck. That’s the system working exactly as designed. If you’re in the...
Derek Cook
Jul 151 min read
$50 oil
If oil hits $50 and you haven’t filed your lien—you may already be behind. When the market drops, cash dries up. Operators delay...
Derek Cook
Jul 141 min read
Freezing Assets
They owe you six figures. But the trucks are gone. The office is locked. And the bank account? Emptied overnight. That’s what happens...
Derek Cook
Jul 121 min read
When oil prices drop
When oil prices drop, some operators stop drilling—and start suing. That’s the quiet shift no one talks about. Instead of chasing new...
Derek Cook
Jul 111 min read
Collection
They owe $300K. But they just placed another order. You filled it. Again. That’s not loyalty. That’s leverage. This post is for every...
Derek Cook
Jul 101 min read
Surface Ownership
Your ranch isn’t safe just because you own the surface. The hard truth: the mineral estate is legally dominant to the surface estate....
Derek Cook
Jul 81 min read
Oilfield Trucks
Oilfield trucks don’t stop fast. Especially not on narrow FM roads. When they crash, someone pays. But who? We’re seeing more wrecks on...
Derek Cook
Jul 41 min read
Rules of the Road
They knew the rules. But they broke them anyway. Now someone’s hurt—and no one’s stepping up. We see it too often in the Permian....
Derek Cook
Jul 31 min read
Entity Protection
One accident. One lawsuit. And your house could be on the line. That’s the risk every independent oilfield contractor runs when they work...
Derek Cook
Jul 21 min read
Handshakes Gone Wrong
t worked fine—until someone sued. That’s the problem with handshake deals. They feel solid in the field. They sound fair in a meeting....
Derek Cook
Jul 11 min read
Prenups and Minerals
Most prenups miss the minerals. Sounds crazy, right? But it's true. In West Texas, mineral rights can be worth millions—and yet they're...
Derek Cook
Jun 301 min read
Lithium Ownership
Who owns the lithium under your oil and gas lease? It’s not settled law. Texas is sitting on a lithium gold rush—especially in produced...
Derek Cook
Jun 281 min read
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