This presentation will cover the following topics:

• Overview of different types of usufruct (legal, conventional, testamentary, etc)

• Relevant provisions of the Louisiana Civil Code and Louisiana Mineral Code governing usufructs

• Distinguishing the usufruct of land from the usufruct of mineral rights

• Issues to consider when obtaining a mineral lease covering land or minerals subject to a usufruct

• Issues to consider when entering into CCUS agreements covering land subject to a usufruct

Lawyers have long been bound by rules of ethics.  But lawyers also are bound standards of professionalism.  This presentation will explore the obligations of professionalism that bind lawyers and protect the profession of law.

The Model Rules of Professional Conduct mandate that lawyers stay updated on technology affecting legal practice. Generative AI (GAI), like ChatGPT, can improve creativity and efficiency but requires ethical use, especially in client, colleague, and court dealings. Lawyers must proactively understand and apply GAI, avoiding the "wait and see" stance, as its misuse has already led to professional misconduct and diminished trust. This presentation aims to equip attorneys with AI literacy to use and oversee this technology ethically.

Posthumous to Randy Davidson

Pore space - the underground space which constitutes the reservoir - is necessary for carbon sequestration. This presentation describes the structure, compensation provisions, and other key terms of pore space agreements.

An overview of cases, legislation, and regulatory developments regarding the oil and gas industry in Louisiana over the past year.

The rise in green energy projects being explored for possible implementation in Louisiana, including geothermal and carbon capture, presents ownership questions that are not clearly answered in Louisiana law.  These new processes for harvesting Louisiana’s natural resources do not clearly fit within the framework of the Mineral Code.  This speech will examine what constitutes a “mineral” in Louisiana, and the potential applicability of the Mineral Code, through a review of Louisiana jurisprudence. 

This presentation will address the unique issues that arise when dealing with “unleased mineral owners.”  In particular, this presentation will provide an in depth look at the recent cases interpreting Louisiana Revised Statutes 30:10 and Louisiana Revised Statutes 30:103.1 and 30:103.2 as they relate to “unleased mineral owners.” 

The current Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources (LDENR) joins the previous Commissioner of Conservation and LDENR’s Executive Counsel to provide an update on the latest actions and initiatives taking place at the agency, how the agency’s many programs impact oil, gas, and energy development in the State, and what is on the horizon. Additionally, a current update on the efforts to consolidate and optimize Louisiana government’s energy and natural resources regulatory, management, enforcement, and support functions will be provided.

This presentation will provide an overview of the emerging direct lithium extraction (or “DLE”) technology. The presentation also attempts to provide some insight on how key legal and regulatory issues associated with brine production might be resolved in Louisiana by looking at how other nearby states have resolved—or attempted to resolve—these issues.

Offshore production of oil and gas continues to represent a significant portion of U.S. oil gas production.  Production off the coasts of Louisiana and Texas is particularly important.  There have been significant legal developments in the past year, and this presentation will examine those.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a technology that has been deemed instrumental in the management of carbon dioxide emissions across the globe. The technology is actually a three-component integration of three well-established processes. These processes are based on complex science and design methodologies which are presented via a concise, easy to follow format.  CCS offers a high potential for growing Louisiana's economy while and if properly implemented can be done via an ecologically safe manner. 

Louisiana has had the luxury of water abundance and high-quality groundwater. However, over the last century, the landscape has changed as has the climate. In the face of droughts, saltwater wedges in rivers and aquifers, flooding, and water quality challenges the legal landscape for water management is tangled, at best. The lack of cohesive water management that is grounded in science leaves Louisiana's most valuable resource vulnerable. Can comprehensive management at the federal and state level lead to new opportunities for Louisiana?

In recent years, both the federal government and state governments have given increasing attention to reducing methane emissions.  During the same period, the federal and state governments have sought to reduce the number of orphan wells.  Because orphan wells can be a source of methane emissions, both the methane mitigation efforts and the orphan well initiatives can come into play in reducing methane emissions from orphan wells.  This presentation will discuss some of the work being done in this field, including work in Louisiana.