The Institute of Energy Management and the Petroleum Landman School are considered by many as the nation's premier Petroleum Landman schools. Founded by David Melton, 40-year Senior Executive Landman, the Institute of Energy Management and the Petroleum Landman School have proudly served thousands of students in 34 states and three foreign countries since 2005.
The Petroleum Landman School, along with the Institute of Energy Management and the Institute of Energy Development, are subsidiaries of the Professional Landman Schools. The Petroleum Landman School provides information about basic courses aimed at students new to the land industry. The Institute of Energy Management offers advanced courses for land professionals. The Institute of Energy Development is responsible for creating and distributing textbooks and other materials. The Professional Landman School website hosts the software in which students will take online courses.
The Institute Of Energy Management is considered by many as the the nation's leading field landman school. Founded by David Melton. The Institute Of Energy Management has proudly served hundreds of students over the years and has developed comprehensive courses and workshops in multiple states.
The Petroleum Landman School, along with the Institute of Energy Management and the Institute of Energy Development, are subsidiaries of the Professional Landman Schools. The Petroleum Landman School provides information about basic courses aimed at students new to the land industry. The Institute of energy development offers advanced courses for land professionals. The Institute of Energy Development is responsible for creating and distributing textbooks and other materials. The Professional Landman School website hosts the software in which students will take online courses.
Mission
With the most experienced oil, gas, land, and legal experts creating and instructing both in class and online courses, our mission is to provide the highest quality land related education in the industry. Whether a veteran or new to the field, our highly advanced in classroom and online learning platforms provide our students with the greatest opportunities for success, with little to no supervision, in the ever-growing professional landman field.
Faculty and Advisory Board
David Melton
Founder, Course Author, and Instructor
Mr. Melton, a professional landman since 1980, has acquired vast experience in acquisitions and divestitures as well as executive management skills (VP of Land) for a small E&P company and as a GM and COO for two large land brokerage firms with multiple offices in Oklahoma, Texas, Montana, Colorado, Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. In addition, Mr. Melton has over 40 years’ experience in oil and gas exploration and production including operations, land management and administration in all phases. He formed the Petroleum Landman School in 2005 and has taught students from 34 states and two foreign countries. Mr. Melton is a recognized public speaker, course writer and presenter for the AAPL and a published author for the AAPL, IRWA and Oilprice.com.
Allen Cummings
Mr. Cummings, Oil and Gas attorney since 1975, is well known for his expertise in due diligence and oil and gas contract law. Mr. Cummings is a member of the State Bar of Texas Pattern Jury Charge Oil and Gas Committee; Member of the Texas Board of Legal Specialization Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Exam Commission; Chairman of the AAPL for the annual meeting workshop; Co-Chairman of the Rocky Mineral Law Foundation Special Institute, Development Issues and Conflicts in modern Oil and Gas plays. Accomplished course writer, presenter and published author. Mr. Cummings has written articles for the AAPL regarding Due Diligence, which has been adopted by many as the gold standard for this skill set.
Dr. Pat Fitzgerald
Dr. Fitzgerald, Ph.D., Ed.D., J.D. has been a recognized specialist in various areas of oil and gas law which since the early 1980’s. At Oklahoma Baptist University, he developed and taught all parts of the Energy Land Management Certificate Program, teaches the MBA program in Energy Management. Concurrently, he is a Distinguished Visiting Industry Expert in Energy Management and Petroleum Land Practices in the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver. In his early years, he was a ghost writer for Lewis Mossberg. Mr. Fitzgerald is more than an experienced oil and gas attorney, he is a published author for the AAPL, as well as an accomplished course writer and presenter for the AAPL.
Lourcey Sams
Mr. Sams, a Professional Landman and oil and gas operator for over 39 years, started his career with Amoco Production Company in 1977. Over the past 41 years, Mr. Sams has acquired vast experience in exploration and production management in most major petroliferous basins in the lower United States and the Rocky Mountain region including the Permian Basin, South Texas, Texas Gulf Coast, Louisiana, and California. Mr. Sams has over 30 years’ experience in project finance along with acquisitions and divestitures. While at Amoco, Mr. Sams was on the committee that created the AAPL 1982 Joint Operating Agreement. Mr. Sams brings a rare perspective to the school with extensive experience in the applications of the AAPL Joint Operating Agreement and operational issues along with many decades in acquisitions and divestitures and project finance.
Carol Eyerman
Ms. Eyerman, an attorney since 1985, has practiced corporate and real estate law until leaving private practice to focus on right-of-way acquisition and development project management in 2000. Ms. Eyerman is the former Executive VP/ President Elect of IRWA Chapter 55, Pennsylvania (2016 – 2017) and is a current member of the Tennessee and Kentucky IRWA Chapters. She has extensive experience managing capital projects for companies to include Regency Energy Partners, General Dynamics, Columbia Gas, Atmos Energy, Cricket Wireless, AT&T and Verizon in major markets across the United States. Ms. Eyerman edited, revised and updated the real estate sections of Book T-1 of the Revised AGA Pipeline Planning Economics Manual (2016) and contributed to the development of the Telecommunication ordinance for the planning and zoning department of the city of Spokane, WA.
Jim Stephenson, Jr.
Mr. Stephenson has been a business and commercial transaction attorney since 1975 and his practice specializes in oil and gas contract law, oil and gas securities law with emphasis on tax planning strategies. Mr. Stephenson serves on a number of corporation board of directors, including Calyx Energy III, LLC, an Oklahoma based oil and gas producer, where he serves as a member of the Board of Managers, and Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel.
Don Valden
An expert in Right-of-Way issues, Mr. Valden holds the certification of Senior Right of Way Agent through the IRWA with over 40 years’ experience. Since 1980, Mr. Valden has worked as a Right-of-Way Consultant and Project manager for some of the largest energy companies in the world such as Koch Industries, Gulf States Utilities, Southern Natural Gas, Devon Energy and EOG Resources. Mr. Valden is an accomplished course writer and presenter and is the founder of the America Right-of-Way Acquisitions & Survey, Inc. (ARWA)