Agree.

We got right at $100/ft for Matterhorn Express 42" HP gas line going through .5 mile of unimproved pasture. Their first offers were disgustingly low compared to what we ended up getting out of them in the end with an attorney. I believe their first offer was 26k.

Definitely get an O&G attorney that deals with ROWs to handle this for you.

So many details can be overlooked; original easement language typically states "access across adjacent property required, for maintenence and repairs", w/o any stipulation of route, or how access is obtained.
We included language of notification required, and that access to the easement was only through gates at the property lines, or via established roads on the property...not a cross-pasture shortcut with heavy equipment.

We also asked for a "contingency" amount ($20k), IF a second sewer line was ever installed (that was allowed in the easement), for the damages that would occur. Due to the entity being flush with Federal "stimulus/Covid relief" tax $$, they said rather than encumbering a future Council with our request...here's another $20k now. Unbelievable...
We are in the city's ETJ, hence the heavy hand of eminent domain.

Can highly recommend subscribing to the Agrilife TX Agricultural Law Blog, it provides up-to-date info on the legal side of TX land ownership.

Agrilife Law blog

GSS said:

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Can highly recommend subscribing to the Agrilife TX Agricultural Law Blog, it provides up-to-date info on the legal side of TX land ownership.

Agrilife Law blog

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Her podcast are very informative as well. Tiffany does a great job all around

I would imagine he would. The only way to know is to call him or his partner.
He was going to take my case but found out our ranches in San Saba county are only 1/2 mile apart and it would have been a conflict of interest due to proximity of the pipeline to his. That's 130 miles from his office.
I don't know if he has a distance limit, but if he does recommend someone in your area, you can bet he or she will be good.

techno-ag said:

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Doc Hayworth said:

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Tell your Family member to get in touch with Jim Spivey in San Antonio. He's an expert in these cases and probably the best in Texas, from what other atty's have told me. They wont' be disappointed. If they contact Jim, have them tell him the rancher down the road in San Saba County recommended him to you. He will know who I am.

I used his close friend for my atty, that is out of San Angelo to handle my property in San Saba County. They both used to work for the pipeline companies, giving them the knowledge of how they think and operate.

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Does Spivey work elsewhere like Robertson and Brazos County? Or will he refer someone to a closer attorney?

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He worked for us in Caldwell County. I think he would probably go to Brazos.

Agree, our contracts specifically stated that nothing but that one pipeline could be installed in the Matterhorn easement. Anything else proposed would have to be paid for.

They initially offered me 28k for 3000'. Less than $10/ft

Wow.

Apparently the low-ball offer works on some suckers every once in a while. I could see some desperate people that owned a little land but tight on cash jumping as soon as they saw the offer.